ABINGDON’S ageing Bury Street shopping precinct is to get its long-promised revamp – but traders are calling for guarantees from the new operator it will be a substantial improvement.

This week, the Vale of White Horse District Council, which owns the precinct, and manager Scottish Widows announced they were reviving the stalled plan to give the 1960s precinct major improvements.

Traders have been demanding a revamp for 20 years and blame the state of the precinct for a fall in trade. There are currently 13 shops empty.

In November 2006, then-centre manager Threadneedle promised a £1.7m revamp would begin within two years.

Two planning applications were submitted by the company — a first phase refurbishment and a longer-term scheme involving single storey extensions and combining units to create larger shops — but the project never got off the ground.

At the beginning of this year, pensions and investment firm Scottish Widows took over the running of the council-owned precinct, after Threadneedle failed to meet deadlines to begin work.

Traders now want Scottish Widows to reveal how much money will be spent on the new scheme and when it will start.

Suzanne McCallum, spokes-man for Scottish Widows, said: “We don’t want to divulge the details until we’ve worked through all the details.”

Matt Prosser, the district council’s strategic director, said: “We know it’s in both of our interests to give Abingdon the shopping centre it deserves.

“We want to develop a plan which is good for the town financially and will put Abingdon on the shopping map.”

Businesses that are suffering from lack of trade want a complete overhaul of the area.

Peter Wiblin, joint president of Abingdon’s Chamber of Commerce and owner of West End Newsagents, said: “It sounds like another one of those loose agreements that this town enters into.

“We don’t know what they’re going to do.

“Quite frankly, they haven’t made their mind up what they want to do — we need some specific details.”

Terry Boswell, joint chamber president and owner of Abbey Guest House, added: “I’m pleased that they’re considering the future, but it will depend on what they decide to do. I’m sure they have very good business reasons why they haven’t said.”

Ian Collett, of The Bookstore, said: “It’s saying exactly the same things that Threadneedle said two years ago and nothing has happened.

“Until I see workmen in the precinct actually doing something, I’m going to take everything with a pinch of salt.”

Matt Thomas, of Orange Frog Mortgages, said: “It’s hard when you don’t know what’s going to happen.

“At this stage, any sort of revamp would be a benefit to the town but it’s what sort of length they will go to.

“I think the whole lot needs to be knocked down.”

The district council hopes that a plan for both short-term and long-term improvements will be ready for consultation in the summer.

abingdon@oxfordmail.co.uk