Oxford's tourist industry is set to receive a boost with the release of Brideshead Revisited in cinemas across the UK tomorrow. Parts of the new Hollywood film were shot in the city in July, 2007, using the the famous Radcliffe Square, Bridge of Sighs
Former Oxford United defender Michael Corcoran has come out in support of under-pressure U's manager Darren Patterson.. Corcoran, who left Oxford by mutual consent earlier in the year, is preparing to face his old club at the Kassam Stadium tomorrow
Dennis Strudwick, general manager of the Blue Square League, believes the recently implemented 'Respect' campaign is already making a positive impact. Strudwick says there has already been a noticeable change in the way players and managers have been
Dean Saunders took over as boss of Wrexham on Thursday and promptly got rid of his forrmer Oxford United striking partner Martin Foyle. Saunders, Wales's assistant manager, was unveiled at the Racecourse ground as successor to Brian Little, who quit
The rivalry between Oxford United and Rushden & Diamonds is one of the fiercest in the Conference – and Saturday's game will be no different. It stems from the fact that the two clubs used to lock horns in the Football League, at a time
Twins Zhana and Jae Paton are counting down the days to their shot at reaching the finals of a national talent competition. The 15-year-olds, from Freeland, in west Oxfordshire, have less than a month to perfect their stage act for Idol 2008 — with
A school has scored top marks across the board in its latest Ofsted inspection — the only county primary to do so last year. Appleton Primary School was given 'outstanding' grades for every area inspected. Headteacher Mary Watts, who has been at
Oxford's historic Holywell Music Room, the world's oldest purpose-built concert hall, is to be renovated. A £2m appeal is being launched, to allow the 260-year-old venue to be extended underground doubling its size. The facelift would see a foyer
Distinguished Indian writer Nirad Chaudhuri is to be honoured with Oxford's 42nd Blue Plaque on Saturday. Mr Chaudhuri, 1897-1999, made his home in Oxford in 1970 and lived in the city until his death, aged 102. A plaque is to be unveiled at his
A derelict building could be used to extend one of Oxford's oldest play facilities. Alston Quammie, manager of Blackbird Leys Adventure Playground (Blap), will this week ask Oxford City Council to grant him the use of the disused Blackbird
A school has scored top marks across the board in its latest Ofsted inspection — the only county primary to do so last year. Appleton Primary School was given 'outstanding' grades for every area inspected. Headteacher Mary Watts, who
A stolen handbag belonging to Oxford Lord Mayor Susanna Pressel has been found and safely returned. Two men handed the missing bag, address book and diary in at the Town Hall in St Aldate's this morning. The orange handbag was stolen from the Lord
Parents and pupils have given Oxford's first academy school the thumbs up at an open day. The Oxford Academy opened just over a month ago, having replaced Peers School over the summer. Yesterday, parents of primary school pupils visited the Littlemore
Battle lines have been drawn in a bid to save an Oxford meadow used by the community for almost a century. Residents living next to Oxpens Meadow alongside the ice rink — want it recognised as a Town Green to protect it from being developed as part
A pensioner suffering from dementia walked nearly seven miles from Headington to Wheatley before dying of hypothermia, an inquest heard today. Molvie Chambers, of Church Lane, Marston, disappeared from the Co-op in London Road shortly before 4.30pm
Mick Channon is making good progress from the car crash that left him with various broken bones and killed his good friend Tim Corby. But victory for Youmzain in Sunday's Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe at Longchamp would undoubtedly speed up the West Ilsley
Alex Woods was the star as the host club's members shone at the Wallingford Sculls on Saturday. Eight wins were recorded by local clubs with Wallingford taking the lion’s share with five. Woods excelled by winning the elite class in the fastest singles
Alex Woods was the star as the host club's members shone at the Wallingford Sculls on Saturday. Eight wins were recorded by local clubs with Wallingford taking the lion’s share with five. Woods excelled by winning the elite class in the fastest singles
A pensioner suffering from dementia walked nearly seven miles from Headington to Wheatley before dying of hypothermia, an inquest heard today. Molvie Chambers, of Church Lane, Marston, disappeared from the Co-op in London Road shortly before 4.30pm
Parents and pupils have given Oxford's first academy school the thumbs up at an open day. The Oxford Academy opened just over a month ago, having replaced Peers School over the summer. Yesterday, parents of primary school pupils visited
SATURDAY. FOOTBALL. BLUE SQUARE PREMIER. Oxford Utd v Rushden & Diamonds. FA CARLSBERG TROPHY. Prelim round: Didcot Tn v Andover. FA CARLSBERG VASE. 1st round: Flackwell Heath v Hook Norton, Longwell Green Spts v Clanfield, Newport (IOW) v Witney
Milton United will parade new signing Tom Butler, when they travel to Carterton in the FTL Futbol Hellenic League Premier Division on Saturday. Bradley Chalmers, Joe Brewerton and Dwight Jones are ruled out. Wantage Town are without Ellis Langford
BANBURY: Law firm Brethertons has appointed two new wills trust and probate solicitors. Sophie Tinworth and Lynne Reekes will join its private client division. Ms Tinworth, who joins from Oxford firm Henmans, and Ms Reekes, who previously worked
Didcot Town boss Stuart Peace wants his players to keep up the good work when they host Andover in Saturday's FA Trophy preliminary round. Last weekend, the Railwaymen hammered Bishops Cleeve 6-0 in their biggest Southern League win, and Peace is keen
Witney United boss Andy Lyne has praised prolific striker Gary Wickens, who netted his 50th goal for the club in just 58 matches in Tuesday's 1-0 victory over Hook Norton. Lyne, whose side travel to Newport (IOW) on Saturday in the first round of the
Oxford City could be without striker Andy Baird for up to three weeks with an ankle problem. The former Wycombe forward who joined the club from Banbury United in the summer suffered the injury during Saturday's 2-1 FA Cup victory against Tiverton and
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Nick Merry has stepped down as Oxford United chairman. Kelvin Thomas will replace him at the helm – and has promised U's fans he will do everything in his power to get the club back on a sound financial footing. Merry will stay on the
OXFORD'S historic Holywell Music Room, the world's oldest purpose-built concert hall, is to be renovated. A £2m appeal is being launched, with the 260-year-old venue to be doubled in size via an underground extension. Down the centuries, the Holywell
ANOTHER overhaul of household waste collections in Oxford is being proposed. And Oxford City Council believes it finally has a solution to an ongoing problem that has provoked widespread protests since the introduction of fortnightly collections.
A MUCH-loved Oxford meadow is at the centre of a new battle between residents and developers. Families living next to Oxpens Meadow — used by the community for almost a century, yet right at the heart of plans to redevelop the so-called West End of
Sir Ian Blair has announced his resignation as Metropolitan Police Commissioner, saying he cannot continue without the support of London mayor Boris Johnson. Britain's most senior police officer, a former Deputy Chief Constable of Thames Valley Police
Chinnor can give themselves some breathing space in National 3 South by beating tomorrow's visitors Worthing. A home win could leave Chinnor as many as seven points above the drop zone with Havant, in particular, facing a tricky afternoon. Coach Jason
It doesn't get any easier for South West 1 basement boys Oxford Harlequins tomorrow as they host promotion hopefuls Bracknell. Quins, who are still searching for their first win, welcome back lock Adam Pearson, who is likely to partner Angus
CUMNOR: Building firm MD Construction, has been awarded the Federation of Master Builders (FMB) Regional award for Best Professional Residential/Domestic Restoration of a project costing more than £250,000. The company was chosen from entries
Michael Parkinson (sorry — Sir Michael Parkinson) will always be known as Parky to the nation, which makes it the obvious title for his new autobiography. His subjects have been so numerous that it's easier to mention who Michael Parkinson hasn't interviewed
Faye Tozer laughs when she recalls her recent film debut which involved her stripping naked in Coventry mid-winter. "It was March but it was snowing," she screams "and that wasn't in the script.” “It was bad enough having to get naked aged 32 in
Mercury nominated indie-rockers British Sea Power make a triumphant return to Oxford in two weeks, with a show at the Regal. Although the former bingo hall is still far from most people's idea of a banging gig venue, this gig, on October 15, could put
With the pop attitude of Cyndi Lauper and the gritty, vocal depth of Chrissie Hynde, Gabriella Cilmi (pronounced 'Chill-Me') possesses the kind of husky, soulful vocals that suggest she was weaned on Jack Daniels and Benson & Hedges from birth. It's
Joyously energetic and ridiculously dynamic, Cajun Dance Party are sending out shockwaves of excitement and drawing ever-larger crowds at every gig. But who exactly are they? Well, first up, they are not Cajun. The band can barely spell Louisiana,
Praise Zeus that Club 300’s main attraction doesn’t, like the movie, centre around muscled Spartan warriors sacrificing goats to the gods in preparation for battle. It’s an incredibly fine club night at The Regal on Cowley Road, and I can put my hand
There’s one good reason why Evelyn Waugh’s magnum opus has never been adapted for the big screen before. ITV’s lavish and critically-adored 1981 mini-series, which held viewers spellbound for 11 glorious hours, explored the book’s tortured emotions
A couple who met after a game of cricket made an instant howzat and today are celebratomg 60 years of married life. Tom and Barbara Smith will be hosting a diamond wedding party for family and friends at Minster Lovell village hall at the weekend.
Based on Toby Young’s memoir, director Robert B Weide’s debut narrative feature charts the misadventures of a British writer who unexpectedly finds himself at the centre of New York’s social whirl. At first, the scribe refuses to churn out sycophantic
Little did Peter Dixon realise as he did his rounds as a milkman in 1945 that the girl who waved to him every morning would eventually become his wife. But when they bumped into each other at an Oxford youth club, romance blossomed and today Peter and
Geri Halliwell is hardly your average stay-at-home mum. Yet the global superstar, former member of the Spice Girls and now children’s author chats easily while her daughter Bluebell watches CBeebies and her dog yaps in the background, making it easy
Distinguished Indian writer Nirad Chaudhuri is to be honoured with Oxford's 42nd Blue Plaque on Saturday. Mr Chaudhuri, 1897-1999, made his home in Oxford in 1970 and lived in the city until his death, aged 102. A plaque is to be unveiled at his home
Get your walking boots on to support cancer sufferers — that's the message from Women's Institute members in Oxford. Garsington WI is urging people to sign up for It's Not Just A Walk In The Park on Sunday, October 26, the day the clocks go back.
As the Arbiter of all that is Tasteful around Town (TATT), I approach Jeremy Smith head bowed low, in a humble, hand-wringing shuffle. I seek his advice. What didn't become clear from his column about wrinklies driving sports cars (Man About Town, Oxford
In your report on benefit fraud detection (Oxford Mail, September 29), you mention the National Fraud Initiative (NFI). This costly Audit Commission exercise, which takes place every two years, collects and matches data held on employees in the NHS,
Robin Spokes writes about the slaughter of bull calves, which could be put down to the EU and its various regulations (Oxford Mail, September 22). I recollect that in the 1930s — and no doubt long before this time — it was the practice in the dairy
The Tory claim to bring back weekly mixed rubbish collections (Oxford Mail, September 30) is an unfunded gimmick. Of course, Oxford City Council would love to have an extra £1m-plus to spend in the city every year. I can think of lots of things to
You’ll find Ricardo, coat on hook, muscling down at his premises next to the Oxford Cheese Company stall in the Covered Market from 6am Monday to Saturday. And although he's constantly fighting off stiff competition from the Oxford Sandwich Company,
Dear Jessica, I have been married for almost 15 years and I no longer find my husband attractive. What wine can I drink or serve him to put the spark back in my marriage? Dominique Bliss, OXON Jessica Uncorked: The average Joe would have you
Please, no more household batteries must be sent to landfill sites, or our planet may explode in a big, red cloud. That is what we are led to believe by those bureaucrats in Brussels. On September 26, a new European law came into effect to compel
For the vast majority of people, child murder does not bear thinking about. But Kate Summerscale, the former literary editor of The Telegraph, took a different view. Now the mother of a five-year-old boy, she thought it would be a good idea to investigate
Thank you for your feature on benefit fraudsters (Oxford Mail, September 29). No doubt we will get all the usual complaints about invasion of privacy, human rights and all that nonsense. But these swindlers are stealing. Honest taxpayers have to pay
Oxford city councillors have been known to respond to criticism and concerns from members of the public expressed through letters published in the Oxford Mail. Why, therefore, are they so quiet over to our concern about the appalling lack of adequate
Greeks called them dog days — days on which nothing much happened. Had a citizen of ancient Athens been in Oxford, he would have declared Tuesday was such when writing home. Children having started the autumn term and university students still drifting
Oxford University Chancellor, Lord Patten, has mounted a withering attack on Government efforts to get more state school pupils into Oxford. In a keynote speech to public school heads, Lord Patten warned the Government targets were doomed to failure
Getting Closer 36 weeks and feeling very very pregnant!!! For the first time during this pregnancy I am now feeling very pregnant and its starting to get uncomfortable and a bit of a chore just doing the most basic of movements i.e – walking!! I
A very senior media executive once told Humphrey Carpenter’s widow: “I would never advise anybody to have Humphrey’s sort of career." Humphrey's was a quite extraordinarily varied and — had it been anyone else’s — exhausting working life. It will
A fourth teenage boy has been arrested in connection with a spate of robberies in parks in Oxford. The 14-year-old was arrested yesterday afternoon on suspicion of robbery, police said this morning. Two 13-year-old boys and another 14-year-old boy
The residents of St Ebbes must stand a good chance of achieving their aim of securing a town green at Oxpens. This area has been well used as an informal recreation area for many years. True, it has also been the subject of high-profile planning applications
Burglars forced their way into a house in Botley and stole a laptop and cash. Police are appealing for information after the break-in at Orchard Road between 1pm and 2pm on Monday. A laptop computer and some American dollars thought to be worth around
A 45-year-old man has been charges with two attempted robberies in Oxford. Philip Atherton, of Abingdon Road, Oxford, was charged yesterday and is due to appear at Oxford Magistrates’ Court today. The charges follow an attempted robbery of a woman
Burglars forced their way inside a house in Botley and stole a laptop and cash. Police are appealing for information after the break-in at Orchard Road between 1pm and 2pm on Monday. A laptop computer and some American dollars thought to be worth
The opening of the revamped Bonn Square is worthy of celebration. It is a key element in the rejuvenation of this quarter of Oxford. Oxford is awash with private squares behind college walls but has very few genuine public squares, particularly in the
We report this week that yet more changes are to be made to the collection of waste in Oxford. Given the outcry over the city's recycling and waste collections, it was inevitable that the new Labour administration would want to be seen to be making changes
A stolen handbag belonging to Oxford Lord Mayor Susanna Pressel has been found and safely returned. Two men handed the missing bag, address book and diary in at the Town Hall in St Aldate's this morning. The orange handbag was stolen from the Lord
A FOURTH teenage boy has been arrested in connection with a spate of robberies in parks in Oxford. The 14-year-old was arrested yesterday afternoon on suspicion of robbery, police said this morning. Two 13-year-old boys and another 14-year-old boy
Sir — A recent correspondent wrote about his concerns regarding energy-saving light bulbs. He is right in stating that they pose a danger when broken, as they contain mercury. It is important never to vacuum the broken pieces as this can spread highly
Sir — Ms Deech in her letter (September 19) highlights the difficulty of the concept "Historical facts", affected as it is by such factors as completeness of information, personal prejudice, etc. Her account of the origins and nature of the Palestine
Sir — Hugh Jaeger’s anti-Israel diatribe is based on more historical distortions that you could shake a stick at (Letter, September 26). Let’s deal with just a few of them. First of all, during 1921-23 Britain removed 76 per cent of Palestine to create
Sir — There are several curious features in Daniel Laurence's letter about the superiority of religion over secular materialism (September 19). Not least, his admiration seems to apply to any religion, no matter what it preaches; whereas any atheist
Sir — I was interested to read (The Oxford Times, September 26, Country Matters) that the Chiltern gentians were now at their best. On Thursday, September 25, a friend took me to the area and I was disappointed to find that they were well over. Apparently
A 45-YEAR-OLD man has been charges with two attempted robberies in Oxford. Philip Atherton, of Abingdon Road, in Oxford, was charged yesterday and is due to appear at Oxford Magistrates’ Court today. The charges follow an attempted robbery of a woman
Sir — The Bury Knowle Health Centre is second to none in all the care and attention that it offers to all its patients. It is a sad symptom of the creeping privatisation of the NHS that on the wall of the new on-site pharmacy, the first word you see
Sir — Message to Oxford's Labour council on the OAP bus pass fiasco: don't blame the pensioners, blame your own Government. I have long called for a nationwide concessionary bus scheme — before Labour were converts to the cause. But a real national
Sir — Many proud parents will soon anxiously watch their sons and daughters heading off to colleges and universities. This should be a happy and exciting time for young people. For many, it will be the first time they will have lived away from home
ol+4oSir — Mr Jaeger (Letter, September 26) seems to have gone to quite disturbing lengths to select facts. Just to give some flavour:- He quotes Asher Ginsberg correctly. Ginsberg, however, was a fervent anti-Zionist essayist and was
Sir — Although creationism could be seen as a perfectly valid way of looking at our 'appearance', as Martin West alludes to (Letter September 26), it does lead to some problems. In the areas of gender and sexuality in particular, people who do not fit
Savills is selling what it believes to be the only two large country houses in Oxfordshire which are completely surrounded by a moat. Gaunt House, above, which is on the market at £4.75m, is within walking distance of Standlake, near Witney. Although
Sir — Oh! Halcyon days! Your article from Times Past (September 26) recalled days when the law was firm but fair (September 26, 1933). 'Cyclist Edward Johnson 61, was fined 10 shillings for riding a bicycle without a front light in Oxford Road'. Reprimanded
Sir — I’d like to thank all your readers who picked up litter for the ‘Big Tidy Up’ last month (September). Didcot Baptists, Steventon Scouts, Oxford Street Wardens, Witney Woodland Volunteers and fundraisers for cancer research were among those who
Sir — We've all heard of bad losers, but Labour in Oxford prove there's such a thing as a bad winner. A couple of months ago, the Government effectively gave the green light to an urban extension at Grenoble Road. What's planned is nowhere near a
Sir — In a classic case of 'land-grab' (September 18) for 'lebensraum', the Oxford City Council proposes to extend its boundaries in order to build thousands of houses in the Green Belt — which was established specifically to protect Oxford and its surroundings
Sir — I take enormous issue with your editorial (September 26) containing the woefully inaccurate statement that there has been an 'apparent lack of action' since the July 2007 floods. Staff from our roads and transport teams were taken aback by this
Sir — It was predictable that you would sensationalise the city's positive response to the Boundary Commission's invitation to seek a boundary review as a 'land-grab', and equally predictable that the CPRE would resort to hyperbole and accuse the city
A working farm in south Oxfordshire is being transformed into a 30-acre development containing three luxurious homes. The buildings at New Barn Farm, Nuneham Courtenay, are being transformed by BCL to create luxurious, flexible living spaces in an
An Oxford-based academic publishing company has been bought by Harry Potter publisher Bloomsbury in a £3m deal. Bloomsbury will pay £2m initially for Berg Publishers, which pioneered the concept of fashion theory. Another £1m could be paid if Berg
You run a small business connected with the housing market, a drapery perhaps, or a complete decorating service, or a removals company, or even a small estate agency. Your staff have been with you for many years and have become friends. In this economic
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Whether it happens to us or to someone we love, a life-threatening illness may be one of the most over-whelming experiences anyone can face. The Oxfordshire Befriending Network aims to improve the quality of life for those with a terminal diagnosis or
VAL BOURNE on an American producer's rich variety of colourful heucheras I was lucky enough to enjoy a sunny day this summer (one of the very few) looking at heucheras at a nursery in Hampshire. The star of the show was a larger-than-life American
Philip Pullman is one of the authors involved in a new creative writing course at Brookes, writes KATE MOORE "Read and read and read. Read enormous amounts, read everything. If you’re not a reader you won’t be a writer,” says Philip Pullman, the
A simple idea in Shipton-under-Wychwood has taken root — working parties of volunteers helping conservation and wildlife, writes ELIZABETH EDWARDS Volunteers in Shipton-under-Wychwood started working parties on improving the look of their village
SYLVIA VETTA finds Jefferson's daughter's sampler on the autumn trail of the Cotswold Art and Antique Dealers' Association A rich vein of inspiring stories runs through the Cotswold Art and Antique Dealers’ Association (CADA) autumn exhibition
Forty years after breakthrough hit Pictures of Matchstick Men, the Quo are still Rocking All Over The World, says NICK UTECHIN When Status Quo come to town, you know what to expect: the sell-out audiences tomorrow and Sunday evenings at the New
NICK UTECHIN talks to the former Dr Who Colin Baker about his starring role in Noises Off at the Oxford Playhouse this week Plays and actors often come with health warnings. There’s ‘The Scottish Play’; Kenneth Branagh in his twenties was dubbed
I am now 30-years-old - thanks, for the card – and starting to get worried by the world. One concern is my preference to staying in with a chicken Kiev, boil in the bag rice and a re-run of Top Gear on Dave, over a night in the pub. Chores must
CHRIS KOENIG talks to Oxford classics don Harry Sidebottom about his debut as a writer of historical fiction with the first part of a projected trilogy Lucky people — or should that be clever and wise people? — seem to have the ability to
ANDREW FFRENCH previews the fourth Woodstock Literary Festival, focused this year on stately Blenheim Palace Cast your eyes over the programme for this year's Woodstock Literary Festival and prepare for some difficult choices. The running order
Last week, in my list of things that make me angry, I included 'wars' because war strikes me as the worst manifestation of human stupidity. Film-maker Jeremy Gilley felt the same, and in 1999 he started a campaign called Peace One Day to press the United
I am far from being a fan of the burger, perhaps as a result of the horrors I inflicted on myself in youth. In the 1960s, they were called hamburgers — my 1976 Concise Oxford Dictionary still follows 'burger' with [colloq.] — and the most readily
The steaks produced at White Pond Farm are taken from carcasses that have been hung for three weeks and are so tender that you can cut them with an ordinary knife. I bought sirloin steaks from the farm and cooked a red onion and wine sauce to go with
We were walking through lush grass towards a magnificent sucking herd of Aberdeen Angus cattle. Not a single creature moved as we approached; only a red kite flying overhead disturbed the scene. These beautiful creatures remained calm and comfortable
Here’s one very good reason why Evelyn Waugh’s magnum opus Brideshead Revisited has never been adapted for the big screen before. ITV’s lavish and critically-adored 1981 mini-series, which held viewers spell-bound for 11 glorious hours, explored
Well finally recovered from my birthday weekend and have said that is it from now on, its time i started taking things a little slower and calmer. Went for my 25 week check up with the doctor and every thing was great no problems to report which is
Back in the 1960s, famous European directors regularly clubbed together to produce collections of themed shorts that became known as 'portmanteau pictures'. Recent examples, like the 2002 Ten Minutes Older twosome, The Trumpet and The Cello, have come
Traffic was being diverted in Charlbury, west Oxfordshire this morning as firefighters continued to tackle a blaze at a wood store. The blaze at Banbury Hill Farm started last night shortly after 5.30pm. Fire crews also dealt with a barn fire in Wheatley
The most successful Oxford United manager of the past decade told the Oxford Mail last night: "Darren's still the best man for the job." Ian Atkins, who four-and-a-half years ago took the U's to the top of Football League Division 3, after
A detective's career lies in ruins after he armed himself with a knife to tackle a gang of yobs who had attacked him. Dave Muddiman, 44, avoided jail as he was given a suspended sentence at Swindon Magistrates Court and ordered to do 200 hours'
The donation from Oxford's award-winning author Philip Pullman is the icing on the cake for the city's Pegasus Theatre. His £100,000 is the trigger for the start of the theatre's ambitious £6.3m revamp. But we should not forget the other benefactors
There will be much public sympathy for Det Con David Muddiman. A moment of madness has resulted in a distinguished police and military career ending with a criminal conviction. Muddiman waved a knife at a group of youths who had assaulted him. Thirty
A detective's career lays in ruins after he armed himself with a knife to tackle a gang of yobs who had attacked him. Dave Muddiman, 44, yesterday avoided jail as he was given a suspended sentence at Swindon Magistrates Court and ordered to do 200 hours
