Summer Boats Ruining Abingdon-on-Thames

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Harry Hogwash

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For a long while boats moored on the banks in Abingdons beauty spots were regarded
as part of the landscape. (Same at Wallingford)
but this summer over and most boats gone the place looks immeasurably better.
I say this because during the mooring season we were plagued by numerous boat clutter
that just clung and clung and looked frankly polluting.
It obscured views and the banks with wall to wall boat clutter.
Renters or owners sitting pompously out on camping chairs and idle,
seeking who knows what and spoling it for riverside strollers.
Its a lot like car clutter in residential streets.
Reflective metal,engine pollution,strollers being forced to
admire other peoples boats.
Throw in year round homeless wierdos on canal barges stacked with junk
and you've got your self an ugly eyesore that historic old Abingdon
could well do without.
This isn't some Channel marina.
 
Harry Hogwash said:
For a long while boats moored on the banks in Abingdons beauty spots were regarded
as part of the landscape. (Same at Wallingford)
but this summer over and most boats gone the place looks immeasurably better.
I say this because during the mooring season we were plagued by numerous boat clutter
that just clung and clung and looked frankly polluting.
It obscured views and the banks with wall to wall boat clutter.
Renters or owners sitting pompously out on camping chairs and idle,
seeking who knows what and spoling it for riverside strollers.
Its a lot like car clutter in residential streets.
Reflective metal,engine pollution,strollers being forced to
admire other peoples boats.
Throw in year round homeless wierdos on canal barges stacked with junk
and you've got your self an ugly eyesore that historic old Abingdon
could well do without.
This isn't some Channel marina.
Click to expand...

What are you on about.

Abingdons beauty was ripped out of it when the medieval town centre was demolished in the late sixties.

I live nearby and dont recognise your description.

Are you, perhaps, a NIMBY?
 
Harry Hogwash said:
For a long while boats moored on the banks in Abingdons beauty spots were regarded
as part of the landscape. (Same at Wallingford)
but this summer over and most boats gone the place looks immeasurably better.
I say this because during the mooring season we were plagued by numerous boat clutter
that just clung and clung and looked frankly polluting.
It obscured views and the banks with wall to wall boat clutter.
Renters or owners sitting pompously out on camping chairs and idle,
seeking who knows what and spoling it for riverside strollers.
Its a lot like car clutter in residential streets.
Reflective metal,engine pollution,strollers being forced to
admire other peoples boats.
Throw in year round homeless wierdos on canal barges stacked with junk
and you've got your self an ugly eyesore that historic old Abingdon
could well do without.
This isn't some Channel marina.
Click to expand...

Abingdon, in common with the vast majority of old towns on the River owe their very existence to the Thames. They have developed over centuries as river trade and commerce increased. I’d suggest that the outlook at Abingdon riverside a hundred years or so ago would have been pretty industrial, full of wharves, warehouses and barges all busy doing their thing. Judging by the numbers of people now visiting the riverside and the popularity (and big price premium) of riverside properties, it seems to me that most people would disagree with your point of view.
Whilst I do agree that there are probably too many ‘liveaboard’ scruffy boats around, it doesn’t seem to have discouraged the visitors. You might also care to ask the views of the owners of the shops, pubs and restaurants in town about visiting boaters too.....
Just my opinion of course.
 
rotrax said:
What are you on about.

Abingdons beauty was ripped out of it when the medieval town centre was demolished in the late sixties.

I live nearby and dont recognise your description.

Are you, perhaps, a NIMBY?
Click to expand...

Well yes I guess I am a NIMBY.The operative letters being MBY.
Not someone down from Slough or wherevers BY.
There is as you say nothing to do in Abingdon.
The Upper Reaches Hotel is derelict & has been for years.
The Old Gaol restaurants have been vacant for 5 or more.
Theres only a few old pubs and cheap eats places many with poor Trip Advisor ratings.
Its the Emperoros Clothes.
So 6 o Clock of a Summers eve you stroll along the Thames path and theres all these folks idling around on their decks like they think they are in Cannes or someplace looking as miserable as hell.
And absolutely nothing going on at all except the ill fated
Proseccio festival.
You go down Abbey meadow and theres all these boats moored nose to tail 24/24 opposite the splash pool like some sort of 24 hour cheap hotel you cant even see the river or even get TO the river.
Today its as calm as a mill pond and great.All the boats & strangers nearly have gone!
The rented boats creaky old leaky wooden rowing boats and grubby 40 (?) year old launches at Salters are about all the average Abingdonian has access to.
These boat people hardly ever leave their boats as far as I can see.
They certainly dont 'spend money'much in the town.
What are they doing there?
Who are they trying to impress?
 
I was one of those idle buggers on his camping chair for a good part of this summer, some of it spent in Abingdon.
I'm not pompous, honest;)
The only riverside clutter I saw were the chavvy locals with their fishing gear. Someone should show the local tattoo shop how to draw properley:D
 
Harry Hogwash said:
Well yes I guess I am a NIMBY.The operative letters being MBY.
Not someone down from Slough or wherevers BY.
There is as you say nothing to do in Abingdon.
The Upper Reaches Hotel is derelict & has been for years.
The Old Gaol restaurants have been vacant for 5 or more.
Theres only a few old pubs and cheap eats places many with poor Trip Advisor ratings.
Its the Emperoros Clothes.
So 6 o Clock of a Summers eve you stroll along the Thames path and theres all these folks idling around on their decks like they think they are in Cannes or someplace looking as miserable as hell.
And absolutely nothing going on at all except the ill fated
Proseccio festival.
You go down Abbey meadow and theres all these boats moored nose to tail 24/24 opposite the splash pool like some sort of 24 hour cheap hotel you cant even see the river or even get TO the river.
Today its as calm as a mill pond and great.All the boats & strangers nearly have gone!
The rented boats creaky old leaky wooden rowing boats and grubby 40 (?) year old launches at Salters are about all the average Abingdonian has access to.
These boat people hardly ever leave their boats as far as I can see.
They certainly dont 'spend money'much in the town.
What are they doing there?
Who are they trying to impress?
Click to expand...

Obviously not you......................................................

I have lived within a few miles of Abingdon for the last 48 years.

I never mentioned anything about Abingdons amenities. Where did you get that from?

It still has its Monday market, the Brewery Tap seems to be a CAMERA favourite and award winner and the French Pattisiere is very good.

It is rural market town-apart from boozing its never had a lot going for it. After the Medieval town centre was destroyed in the late 60's the shopping precinct was built. The multi story car park was obviously built for the cars of the time-Mini's and Mk.1 Ford Escorts. Getting a Chelsea Tractor in and out is a sight to see!

You appear very disillusioned in regard to Abingdon.

Perhaps you should move.............................
 
Agree - a terrible place. Once you get under the bridge (that stops a lot of boats), One is obliged to stop off at Waitrose to do One's shopping (now that Reading is a no-go area), then past the short term liveaboards, through the lock, past the permanent liveaboards and to empty pastures where it is mostly quiet.

Joy......
 
Like I said Abingdon COULD be nice with a little film set remodification.
Perhaps a chi chi Latin quarter of little tete a tete restaurants by the 100
or so like in any French waterside town.
Could be dubbed the Medieval Riverside quarter or somesuch?
Or maybe like an Amsterdam or Brugge or Utrecht complete with canal barges?
I visited the newly refurbished Reading Riverside quarter and have never gone back.
Pizza Pizza & Pizza by a concrete walkway that looked like a U boat pen.
Waitrose is the only decent show in Town in Abingdon right enough.
If it closes the middle class folk will be reduced to rubbing shoulders in The Co op
or Poundworld to get stuff for their Dinner Parties
The annual Dragon Boat Race at Abingdon leaves a lot to be desired.
Its rather banal.
Lots of Chuggers hustling for money in tents and dire take way food of the burgers
and chips kind.
The Public are whipped up into a jaw gaping frenzy days before of excitement at
the prospect of the "Dragon Boat race"anti climax of the decade.
Same for 'Ock Fair'reputedly the longest single continuous street fair in Europe.
Somewhat altered since the days of 'The Striptease tent'in 1968
However given the choice of that or a open Coach excursion door to
The Continent I know which direction Id take.
 
Last edited:
Harry Hogwash said:
Like I said Abingdon COULD be nice with a little film set remodification.
Perhaps a chi chi Latin quarter of little tete a tete restaurants by the 100
or so like in any French waterside town.
Could be dubbed the Medieval Riverside quarter or somesuch?
Or maybe like an Amsterdam or Brugge or Utrecht complete with canal barges?
I visited the newly refurbished Reading Riverside quarter and have never gone back.
Pizza Pizza & Pizza by a concrete walkway that looked like a U boat pen.
Waitrose is the only decent show in Town in Abingdon right enough.
If it closes the middle class folk will be reduced to rubbing shoulders in The Co op
or Poundworld to get stuff for their Dinner Parties
The annual Dragon Boat Race at Abingdon leaves a lot to be desired.
Its rather banal.
Lots of Chuggers hustling for money in tents and dire take way food of the burgers
and chips kind.
The Public are whipped up into a jaw gaping frenzy days before of excitement at
the prospect of the "Dragon Boat race"anti climax of the decade.
Same for 'Ock Fair'reputedly the longest single continuous street fair in Europe.
Somewhat altered since the days of 'The Striptease tent'in 1968
However given the choice of that or a open Coach excursion door to
The Continent I know which direction Id take.
Click to expand...

I'm not sure what you are smoking, but perhaps you could get me some?

If Abingdon does not suit, go elsewhere.

Simples...........................................................
 
What? Families 'lunch' 2 greasy sausage rolls for a quid?
Sorted.
Can of carbonated sugar and their done.
Just.....................................................................................................NO.
 
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