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Free Internet access 'to boost trade'

7:03pm Friday 9th May 2008

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FREE Internet access has been introduced to parts of Abingdon in a bid to attract more visitors to its town centre.

Abingdon Town Council is eager to stop people in their tracks as they pass through the area, and is today launching the online scheme to encourage people to stay.

An Internet router, has been installed inside Abingdon Museum, allowing anyone in the area around the Bury Street precinct and towards the River Thames to benefit from free wireless Internet connection.

Sandra Hill, deputy town clerk, hoped visitors would use the free connection to look up things to do.

She said: "This will allow tourists to come and see what's happening in the area.

"People having a coffee should be able to access our wi-fi hot-spot. Or they can sit in the precinct with their computers.

"I am hoping that soon visitors coming up the river with their laptops will look and see what's happening in Abingdon, and will be kept up to date with what's going on."

Traders in the town have complained they are struggling to survive with spiralling rents and traffic problems.

The town council came to an agreement with IT company CTS, based on Milton Park, to install and maintain the connection free, in exchange for an advert on the homepage.

When people log on to the council's wi-fi connection, the welcome page has listings of what to do and see in the town.

Noureem Cristain, manager of Costa coffee shop, in Bury Street Precinct, said: "That is great news.

"I have had so many customers walk into the shop asking if we have got a wireless connection, but now we will have it free of charge."

CTS office manager Karen Cutting said: "The council is really keen to get people coming into Abingdon and everybody is really happy with the idea.

"If you are in the Market Place with a sandwich and your laptop at lunchtime, then you can connect and log right on."

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Your Say Yourthisisoxfordshire

Dave Smith, Abingdon says...
11:59am Sun 11 May 08

I hate to point out the obvious but quoting the article 'Traders in the town have complained they are struggling to survive with spiralling rents and traffic problems.'
Wouldn't the council be better off doing something about the spiralling rents and the traffic problems?

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Eddie, says...
4:31pm Sun 11 May 08

I thought one of the main reasons for the shops moving out of Abingdon or of the current struggling was because of the high rent set by the council.

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Joleene, Abingdon says...
1:24pm Mon 12 May 08

Does this mean that people who live close to the museum can cancel their internet subscriptions and buy a wireless router?

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joleene, Abingdon says...
1:26pm Mon 12 May 08

Does this mean residents can have free internet access at home too?

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King, Abingdon says...
2:16pm Mon 12 May 08

On Saturday I went into Abingdon for the first time in months. It is a dirty, ghost-town, with nothing to offer. Due to a longer than expected queue at the opticians I got back to my car in the multi-storey 3 minutes after my ticket expired to find a fine of £80 waiting for me. How ridiculous - the car park was empty and the attendant had waited at my car so that he didn't miss the opportunity to pounce. I have lived in Abingdon for 20 years, but will never go into the town again. Free internet access won't make up for a dirty, dated precinct full of charity shops and empty units. Try Reading - a great selection of shops, a clean, p*ss-free car park, and a selection of great eateries by the river. Why bother with Abingdon?

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anon, abingdon-ish says...
3:51pm Mon 12 May 08

umm....how exactly is free internet supposed to save the town?

what a ridiculous idea!

as King says, the center is just a ghost town, the car park is indeed just a toilet and getting there has gone beyond a joke.

why do councils insiston fobbing people off with these gimics rather than address the real issues?

hang on...just checking the calender...nope, it's not April 1st!

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Mhicleiod-O'hOg'ai n, abingdon says...
8:52pm Mon 12 May 08

Councillors coming up with a good idea, christ what planet do you come from. Now what about introducing bales of tumbleweed blowing up and down the high street or whatever its called. It could then be advertised as a real ghost town.

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Steve King, Abingdon says...
9:14pm Mon 12 May 08

Just pointing out that " King" who ever they may be is not me !! Nice try though !!

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Michael, Abingdon says...
8:02am Tue 13 May 08

1. Let's congratulate the Town for doing what it can to redress the worst of the damage done by the County. Its powers are very limited, but it has consistently shown creativity and imagination, unlike to secrecy-cloaked District, which spends vast sums simply trying to avoid its responsibilities. 2. Let's ensure that we continue to press for radical reform of the AbITS traffic scheme -but with some creative thinking, not just constant carping. 3. Let's all ask that the Audit Commission look into the wasting of £4.5million of our money for the sake of "pork barrel" politics. Councillors chose to ignore their experts recommendations and warnings, and put their own personal and prejudicial interests first. Accountability and transparency are the only way to rein in such practices. 4. Let's press for rationalisation of administrative structures in Oxfordshire. we can no longer afford the luxury of three tiers of local 'government' - one must go (and thereby save us all a great deal of our hard earned cash).

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Another Michael, Oxford says...
12:26pm Tue 13 May 08

Abingdon, the arse-end of the earth. You're going to need more than free wifi to get me there.

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jonny, Drabingdon says...
11:33pm Tue 13 May 08

EVERYONE in Oxfordshire knows this town sucks.ts the county joke.Wifi.Why bother is what concerns real people.

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Another Jonny, Abingdon says...
9:55am Wed 14 May 08

Not to be confused with the previous Jonny!!

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Mike Rotch, Marcham says...
4:40pm Thu 15 May 08

Free WiFi.... hhmmm Well it cost the council nowt so no risk. But it's just a gimmick.
We used to go shopping in Abingdon but gave up on the town some time ago. The traffic is horrendous, the new traffic system is a joke. The car parking is inadequate and parking enforcement is ridiculous (many have said about getting penalties for a few minutes over or parked in the wrong place, poorly marked).
No we go shopping in Didcot, the Orchard centre is great.

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ady, shabingdon says...
11:40pm Fri 16 May 08

well,wi-fi what a cool idea,now all the do goder for council has to do is sit in town square with web cams on every street corner watching to see if anyone is parked illegaly,or dropping litter,or tossing a fag end out there window like my mate and getting a nice fine from some dickhead for 50 quid.council are a bunch of tossers....

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jonny, shabby-drabingdon says...
6:17am Sun 18 May 08

Wi-Fi,Shmi-Fi.W*nker
s.I wouldnt give a bucket of horses p*ss for this towns future now.I was told about the girl fined for tossing a cigarette butt from her car window.If she'd been a Pikey tw*t nothing would of been done.Im surprised they did'nt check her tyre tread depth at the same time.

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sick of it, Crapingdon says...
6:23am Sun 18 May 08

Read the above and weep; "Abingdon town council are eager to stop people in their tracks..."What they gonna do ?.Install some more fakkin traffick lights to stop 'em in their tracks ?.As for you in the multi storey getting that ticket,with no witness's around you should of knocked him to the floor and kicked til he had no teeth left,with all due respect.
'Peace'.

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ady, **** abingdon says...
10:23pm Sun 18 May 08

council **** c*nts

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ady, **** abingdon says...
10:24pm Sun 18 May 08

council **** c*nts

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