SO WHERE now councillors Hudspeth and Hollingsworth’s dream on a wet afternoon in what used to be the Opens car park? Would be too easy to shout out “I told you so”, but as your front page and further reports demonstrate (Oxford Mail, November
ALONG with Tony Greenfield (Oxford Mail, Letters November 15), I too am surprised at the lack of interest in becoming a parish councillor at Blackbird Leys. Tony praises the chairman of the Leys’ Gordon Roper and quite rightly so. I have met Ann
IMELDA Roberts (Letters, November 14) dislikes pedestrians, joggers and cyclists who lawfully use the publicly funded roads. She particularly resents middle-aged men who wear garments containing Lycra. As Lycra is a common constituent of clothes worn
TWO teenagers who were missing from their Oxford homes have been found. Police had appealed for information after Leo Trinder, 13, and Shannay Hudson, 15, went missing from their respective homes in Marston last night. The pair hadn't been
FAMILY-RUN pancakes firm Crepes O Mania sell their tasty treats in the Westgate Centre and in Oxford city centre. Owner Akim Akkouche has taken on new staff to run the crepes counter at the shopping centre. But he and his wife Christine are
AN APPLICATION to build three new flats near a prized church was passed.Senior Oxford City Council councillors, including leader Bob Price, had asked for the application for St Thomas Street to be discussed at the West Area planning committee on Tuesday
OXFORD University continued their impressive form with a convincing 45-19 win over a Major Stanley’s XV at Iffley Road. Tries from Dan Barley (2), Hugo McPherson, Will Wilson, Alex Hogg, Ed Elvin and Tom Stileman earned the Dark Blues an eighth
A BESTSELLING children's author and illustrator is visiting Blackwell's Westgate Centre store with his latest work.David Melling will be at the shop on Saturday from 2pm to sign copies of the seventh in the Hugless Douglas picture book series.Telling
RENOVATIONS are complete on Oxford Wine Company’s new Turl Street store.The cellar of the former Duckers shoe shop premises has now been transformed into a dedicated tasting space.The company also runs a store in Botley Road, and Oxford Wine Cafes in
A TEENAGER accused of stabbing a man in a Banbury knife attack claimed it was 'an accident' and he only meant to scare his victim. Elliot Ashman, of Withycombe Drive, Banbury, took to the witness box as his trial at Oxford Crown Court continued
CHILTERN Railways has launched a new website which it claims has 'transformed the ticket booking experience.' The train company, which operates a Oxford to London line, has introduced several new features including a cheapest fare indicator and
THE SCIENCE of friendship has been dissected and it turns out relationships are a lot less complicated than previously thought.A team at Oxford University's zoology department have demonstrated that very simple mechanisms can form the basis of humanity
A 999 call from someone complaining their vehicle was blocked by another vehicle and two calls from babies who had been given mobile phones to play with were among a slew of bogus calls taken by Thames Valley Police last night. The force also said
STAFF and patients at Helen & Douglas House are getting ready to take part in the charity's popular Santa run.Each year thousands of festive fundraisers, dressed in red suits and with white beards, take to Oxford's streets for Santas on the Run
THE congregation of Christ Church Cathedral will be joined by a famous sleuth as they embark on a charity singing session.Actor Kevin Whately, best known for his role as Robbie Lewis in Inspector Morse and its sequel, Lewis, on ITV, will join parishioners
SENIOR politicians will debate the future of the European Union in Oxford.They will take part in a debate at world-famous debating chamber the Oxford Union on Thursday, November 23 at 8.30pm.The motion will be ‘The House Believes The Decline and Fall
TEACHERS at a school near Oxford are ‘wholeheartedly committed’ to making improvements, Ofsted has noted.The education regulator has published a report after a monitoring visit at Botley School in September, which came after it was rated ‘requires improvement
A SECOND chef from an Oxordshire hotel is doing brasserie battle on Masterchef: The Professionals. Ben Bullen, from Faringdon's Sudbury House Hotel, will make his TV debut tonight on BBC Two in the 10th series of the cookery contest. The Bladon
START-UP companies will show off their latest projects tonight an event at the Bodleian’s Weston Library.The #StartedinOxford Demo Night will take place at the Broad Street venue from 6pm to 8.30pm.On the night about 30 of the best early-stage start-ups
CONSTRUCTION of a 555-home estate in Wallingford is forging ahead.Birmingham-based St Edward Homes has started work on the so-called ‘Site B’ on land to the west of the town.The company already has outline permission for the housing but has submitted
EXAM pressure on primary school pupils is creating a ‘stressful setting’, according to an Oxford-based educator.Nick Smith, principal of Oxford Home Schooling, raised concerns in light of national research about school stress.In a OnePoll survey of 1,000
THE first 70 homes in a 1,500-home estate were approved despite objections about owls.Vale of White Horse District Council's planning committee passed the planning application for Crab Hill in Wantage on Monday evening.Planning officer Stuart Walker
TV historian Dan Jones is to give a talk tonight at Blackwell’s in Oxford about his new book.He will be at the Broad Street bookshop from 7pm to 8pm to speak about The Templars: The Rise and Fall of God’s Holy Warriors. The talk costs £5.Mr Jones is a
A POPULAR wedding venue in a Grade II listed building has asked for permission to build a new pizza kitchen.Lains Barn near Wantage wants to create the standalone hut in its grounds, where customers would be able to approach from all sides to get freshly-made
THE expansion of a Kidlington primary school is set to be stopped because demand is set to decrease in the village.A public consultation into expanding Edward Feild Primary School, in Bicester Road, ran from June until July and had asked people whether
A 16th century pub in Burford has been crowned the best in the Cotswolds by its customers for the third year in a row.The Angel, in Witney Street, won the Best Pub category of the The Cotswolds Awards 2017, which celebrate local people and businesses.
WANTAGE and Grove Scouts have reminded their neighbours that they will once again be offering their local Christmas card delivery service.The service will start at 12pm on Saturday, December 2, and run to Wednesday, December 20. Post boxes will be located
PERFECTLY packed parcels will be making their way out of Bicester thanks to a host of pupils and residents who hope to create a special Christmas.The town has been getting stuck into this year's Operation Christmas Child Shoebox Appeal and those taking
THE National Trust will be hosting a talk today.From 10.30am to 12noon, Alice Purkiss from the trust will be talking about the need for collaboration and change.The event will be held in the Magdalen College Auditorium.
ONE week after thousands of people turned out for Remembrance Sunday services, curators at an Oxfordshire museum will help to ensure soldiers of the First World War will not be forgotten.The Soldiers of Oxfordshire Museum, based in the grounds of the
OXFORD University students have voted to ban gowns which mark out the highest-achieving from 'commoners' in law exams. The Oxford Student Union agreed a motion that the gowns might boost the wearers' chances of getting picked up by partners from
A PLAN to help the county’s health services tackle the winter pressures will be discussed at a meeting tomorrow.Members of the Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee will be meeting at Bodicote House in Banbury at 10am.They will hear a report which looks
THEY are the people who risk everything to save lives, the heroes who day after day face their fears for the safety of others. But what does it really take to be a firefighter? Oxford Mail reporter Naomi Herring found out. It was about five
A COMMUNITY group that looks after the countryside between Abingdon and Radley is holding its annual general meeting.Friends of Radley Lakes will be electing a new committee on Friday, November 24,from 7.30pm at Peachcroft Christian Centre, Lindsay Drive
A HEALTH trust wants to hear from patients about how it can improve services.Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (OUH) will be holding a public and patient forum event on Monday, November 27 in the Tingewick Foyer at the John Radcliffe Hospital
A NEW social group has been set up to help residents born with both a hearing and visual loss.The county council’s specialist Sensory Impairment team has set up the group to give those with Usher’s Syndrome the chance to socialise with others who have
AN OXFORD University dean has warned that clergy are being pressured into growing their audience like a profit-hungry corporation. Dean of Christ Church Martyn Percy said bishops 'need to stop being the CEO of an organisation that is chasing growth
THE FORMER Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police will speak in Oxford tomorrow.Sir Bernard Hogan-Howe joined the South Yorkshire Police in 1979 and went on to study law at Merton College, Oxford on a police scholarship at the age of 28.In September
RESIDENTS hoping to pick up a treasure from the past will have the chance to peruse an antiques fair in Kidlington.From silverware to stamps and ancient coins, the antiques and collectors market will have something for everyone. It is being held in the
AN OXFORD college has said it may have to abandon plans for a women-only University Challenge team due to lack of applicants. Wadham College put on trials for a new female-only team after St Hugh's College - founded as a women's college but now
GET TO know the history of artist Van Gogh, in the final of three talks that delve into the life of the troubled painter.Art historian Juliet Heslewood will speak tomorrow from 1pm at the Ashmolean about the influence of southern France on his work.Provence
THE parents of 'Jihadi Jack' have said the Foreign Office is being 'completely obstructive' as they bid to help their son who is being held by Kurds in Syria. Jack Letts, who turns 22 on Tuesday, converted to Islam and traveled to Syria in 2014
LORRIES will be reversing along a city route for the next two years while a £30m hotel is built in order to preserve a 19th century bridge. A 7.5 tonne weight restriction on Quaking Bridge has been made permanent by Oxfordshire County Council to
OXFORD University ramp up their preparations for the Varsity Match today with their annual fixture against a Major Stanley’s XV at Iffley Road (3.30). The students name eight Blues in their squad to face the representative side. Among the new
BANBURY United’s Buildbase FA Trophy replay against Farnborough Town was postponed last night after a number of visiting players got stuck in traffic. A number of vehicles were delayed and still missing at the scheduled 7.45 kick-off time.
CRAIG Mays and Mike Duerden hit hat-tricks as FC Hollybush thrashed FC Nomads 12-0 in the third round of the Witney & District FA’s Fred Ford Cup, writes Anthony Barlow.Jacob Hughes, Bradley Bryant, Josh Grant, Matt Howard, Jamie Stalker and Olly Oswin
CROPREDY went four points clear at the top of the Oxfordshire Senior League after Chris Horn’s treble led them to a 6-1 Premier Division victory at home to Marston Saints. Horn opened the scoring following an assist from Dan Watkin, who made it
A MAN accused of wielding a knife in a charity shop before threatening staff and trying to make off with cash has admitted all charges. Shaun Carlisle, of Longelandes Way, Banbury, appeared via videolink from HMP Woodhill at Oxford Crown Court
THE OWNER of a 17th-century restaurant ravaged by a major fire this morning has said he nearly lost everything. Tom Keane, who has been picking up the pieces at The Swan at Tetsworth today, said if firefighters had arrived ten minutes later there
HENRY Horton hit a hat-trick as Great Milton Res reached the quarter-finals of the Oxford City FA’s Couling Cup with a 5-3 victory away to Thame United Churches. The visitors’ other goals came from Ryan Hicks and Eddie Hart, while Thame replied
VALE of White Horse Schools Under 13 bowed out of the ESFA Inter-Association Trophy in the cruellest fashion when they lost 8-7 in a shootout at Gosport & Fareham. The visitors took the lead in the first minute through Sam Nelson, only for
ALEX Wybrants fired a hat-trick as North Leigh beat Abingdon United 6-0 in the Under 16 A Leagu, writes Paul Lyon.Jaden Mole, Mitchell Constable and Kyle Page also netted.Bailey Bone hit a treble in vain for Oxford Football Development, as goals from
GEORGIA Brown bagged all five goals for Crowmarsh as they edged out hosts Kidlington Youth 5-3 in a thrilling Oxford Mail Girls League Under 16 League Cup clash.Megan Pemberton, Lilly Collishaw and Ellie White netted for Kidlington in an enthralling encounter.Doubles
IT was gone 1pm on Saturday when the Oxford Mail popped into Rainbow and Spoon. But the Oxford shop, aside from shelves and rails of prettily-arranged stock, was empty. Amanda Suliman-Bell, who runs the independent boutique in Frideswide Square
WORLD famous chef Raymond Blanc is set to turn his culinary talents to his first Oxfordshire pub. The Black Horse Hotel in Thame will relaunch as part of his White Brasserie Company following a ‘desperately-needed facelift’. It is the first
COVERED Market traders are reeling from a ‘shattering blow’ after the closure of its only fishmongers.The Alden family has run Haymans since 1989 and has had a presence at the market for 225 years.The fishmongers closed earlier this month and now all
A WITNEY man who has diabetes and lost both his mum and sister to the condition is urging people to take part in NHS research. Nigel Hawkins knows first hand how devastating type 2 diabetes can be when his mum Ivy Hawkins died in February 1998,
OXFORD City are looking forward to a substantial cash boost after their historic Emirates FA Cup tie at Notts County was picked for live television.The Vanarama National League South club will receive £72,000 as part of the deal, which sees the second
A TEENAGER stabbed another man after ‘a flurry’ of blows when a long-running feud exploded into violence a court has heard.Elliot Ashman, of Withycombe Drive, Banbury, had denied the knife attack on the night of May 2 but as his trial at Oxford Crown
A NUMBER of smaller shops could be created to fill the gaps left by fashion giants Next and River Island after they vacated Cornmarket Street to move to the Westgate Centre. The opening of the new £440m shopping centre has had a knock-on effect
I WAS so surprised to read in a recent Oxford Mail article that the Blackbird Leys Parish Council could be “on brink of disappearing” due to lack of councillors. How can this be within such a vibrant and thriving part of Oxford? Demographically
BUSES returned to Queen Street a fortnight ago and so far no casualties have been reported which is, as expected, with buses proceeding at a slow speed. Regarding bus stops, the previous stop at the top of High Street by the entry to the Covered
