Council has to tackle decline

However, the idea of Sunday trading, together with an improvement in signs directing people to Abingdon, and an injection of capital provided partly by the Vale of White Horse District Council, is too little and too late.

I would suggest that participants in the Choose Abingdon Partnership take a look at two important areas in Abingdon where trade is brisk and vibrant and has been this way for many years: the Sunday car boot sale, and Tesco.

Both venues have two very important things in common that make for successful business.

Firstly, the boot sale and Tesco have free or low-cost parking with easy access for all vehicles.

Secondly, but more importantly, both Tesco and the car boot traders have very low overheads – particularly when it comes to rent and business rates.

At the current level of rental and business rates, the vacant shops in Abingdon Precinct will remain forever closed. Furthermore, the longer they remain closed, the more chance other shops in the same precinct will follow suit.

The district council could easily have seen this situation coming, but missed the first tell-tale sign, which is when the first empty shop became occupied by a charity.

I have nothing against the many charity shops operating in Abingdon, but their very presence is a clear warning to any council, wherever the town, that conditions are not right. Didcot is another example.

Now, sadly, in Abingdon there are at least seven charity shops – three in the precinct alone. The council took absolutely no notice, and seems oblivious to the problem even now.

It is no use Julie Mayhew-Archer working to publish a few leaflets, or saying we are in difficult times.

This situation affects Tesco and the car boot stalls as well But they are still open for business.

Wake up! Get the rents and the business rates reduced now or live with more charity shops and empty retail units in Abingdon town centre forever.

MARTIN HOPKINS (former retailer), Mitchell Close, Wootton