I HAVE been meaning to write for a while about the changes that have taken place in the Oxford Mail since the price hike in July.

My first reaction was to consider cancelling it — it wasn’t really exciting enough to be worth the extra 20p a day, I thought.

But I decided to give it a week and I’m very glad I did. It is so much more interesting than it used to be and feels really anchored in the Oxford scene.

It’s absolutely full of local stories and you get the feeling that the staff are putting a lot of thought and effort into what people want to know about. Not just the local news items but in-depth discussions about matters of local concern and reviews of local bands and local am-dram efforts, as well as planning issues, etc. I like the Saturday Smiles column as well.

It’s turned into a model local paper and something that other places might envy. So congratulations to all involved – keep up the good work.

AG MACKEITH, South View House, Old Botley, Oxford