Oxford Ghost Signs: Gwyngrocers at 334–336 Abingdon Road
Top Tackle (formerly Fat Phil's) angling shop ceased trading at 334–336 Abingdon Road on 15 December 2024, and in early 2025 a ghost sign for Gwyngrocers was exposed.
Up until 1960 Kelly's Directory of Oxford lists Albert E. Lynch as the shopkeeper here: see photograph of his shop dated 28 May 1958.
In 1962 this changes to Gwyngrocers (T. H. Williams), and from 1964 to 1968 the listing reads Gwyngrocers Ltd. In 1967 and 1968 there was a fuller description: “Gwyngrocers (D. E. Evans, propr.), grocers, greengrocers, butchers, newsagents, confctnrs. & tobacconists. Tel 42414.”
The entry is shortened to Gwyngrocers, grocers from 1970 to the last Kelly's Directory to be published in 1976. The business appears to have closed soon after that date.
The image below shows this shop during the floods of 2007 when it was Fat Phil's Angling Centre.
