COMEDIAN Bill Bailey will top the bill at a fundraising ball in aid of orangutans. The musical comic, familiar to millions for his TV work, will headline the Orange Tie Ball at The Big Bang restaurant in the Oxford Castle Quarter on Saturday, November
DEVELOPERS are turning a city centre building into student flats after a residential scheme was turned down. Cantay House, the former conference centre in Park End Street, will become 45 flats for students at Corpus Christi College. Owner Cantay
A BID to make North Oxfordshire taxi fares the same all year round has failed, but councillors have backed a price increase. A drivers’ association urged councillors to support a single tariff for day, night, Sunday and public holiday hackney carriage
THEY fought for King and country during the Second World War. He was the dashing sailor who saw action in Italy and Burma and the North Atlantic; she was the glamorous ATS girl doing her duty on the home front. Now Les Duddrige, 86 and wife
In a space a little over three metres long, Volkswagen has constructed a truly impressive compact car. Its exterior dimensions make the up — I will not give in to the exclamation mark that VW insists on using — one of the smallest four-seater cars
Sir – Quite simply, Oxford City Council has got it wrong with regards to the over-development near Port Meadow. Rather than admit this, councillor Colin Cook says that to develop, the city must either spill over into the Green Belt or gobble up
Sir – Councillor Cook says the only alternative to monster buildings overlooking Port Meadow would be to build on the Green Belt (Report, November 1). To name but two alternatives: what about the Westgate land, owned by the city and, therefore, held
Sir – It is disingenuous for the city council to say it has no choice but to either destroy the city’s green spaces to accommodate yet more development, or dismantle the Green Belt, a process which, once begun, will be inexorable. It is the habit
Sir – Two articles (November 1) point up the price Oxford residents, particularly the poorer ones, are paying for the planning straitjacket in which the city finds itself. Your front page report highlighted the pressure to build on open and green
Sir – In a recent letter, chief planning officer, Mr Crofton Briggs, had it that the model for Barton West is Freiburg. I looked it up on the web and concluded that he probably was referring to the Vauban Quarter. If I’m right, Barton West is unlikely
Sir – I am constantly concerned about the impact on our public transport in Oxford of the growth of population, over the last ten years. The council says that there has been a 1.9 per cent growth in Blackbird Leys. The growth in Cowley Marsh has
Sir – At the end of October, a foreign visitor might have asked why white bicycles were hanging over the High Street. Is this anything to do with Halloween? No. Is it anything to do with November 5? No. Is it anything to do with Christmas or the
Sir – Your article (November 1), on the financial demands made by Oxford City Council for release from restrictive covenants was not quite right. The policy quoted is the newly-adopted one, not the original under which huge sums were demanded
Sir – Mr Chivers’ recommendations as to how motorists can drive safely (November 1), in response to my earlier tips for cyclists, are commendable. Indeed, I think they could go further. Drivers: l Do not drive through red lights — especially if pedestrians
Sir – Thank you to Andy Chivers for his short, but fairly comprehensive, list of ways in which motorists could, with a minimal amount of effort, make life safer and less stressful for us cyclists. I can only think of one further point I’d like
Sir – Police office in crackdown on city cyclists without lights is a recent headline which, I imagine, most road users and pedestrians too, will be glad to read. However, we read on with disappointment that such riders are given a seven-day opportunity
Sir – In reply to Mr Forster’s letter (November 1) regarding planning and the Cogges Link Road in particular, he fails to point out that the proposed scheme was deemed to be an ineffective solution to the transport issues facing Witney, as well as
Sir – Loved your article about the flag for Oxfordshire (November 1). Although I was sad neither Oxford’s ox, nor its ford, were visible on the flag put forward, it led me to become intrigued as to what some in the county may be beginning to imagine
CYRIL Claridge, who has died aged 88, had a varied life as an accountant, war veteran, sportsman and horticultural judge. Born in Salegate Lane, Cowley, he went to St Christopher’s Primary School, Temple Cowley Senior School, then the Oxford School
PEGGY Dunn, the long-serving former headmistress of Headington School, has died aged 90. Miss Dunn, who was headmistress at the London Road independent girls’ school for 23 years from 1959 to 1982, passed away on November 1 at Braemar Care Home
Life is busy nowadays. There are people to impress, people to snub and too many people to date before you’re 35. So to help you navigate your way through this frantic social calendar, The Guide today launches a new monthly blink-and-you’ll-miss-it
Cooking your own dinner with the help of the experts from Gousto was a suprisingly satisfying experience for KATHERINE MACALISTER The best way to describe Gousto is the antithesis of the Christmas cookbook, which you leaf through, think ‘ooh that
Comic genius Jason Byrne tells KATHERINE MACALISTER about life on the road and why life will soon be changing Jason Byrne is a gift of an interview: chatty, open and honest, with none of the cocky, withering humour I was expecting. The famous
* Dickens was born 200 years ago in February, and his bicentenary year is still in full flow. One of his best-known works, Great Expectations, arrives at the Unicorn Theatre in Abingdon on Wednesday. Performed by the Abingdon Drama Club, the novel
Chipping Norton has been producing top pantos for 40 years – making this year’s Cinderella extra special. Katherine MacAlister talks to Cinderella and Prince Charming about the show Amy Rhiannon Worth is a panto pro, and more than able to fill
TIM HUGHES talks to bass legend DJ Fresh and finds him driven by missionary zeal HE may live a life of private jets, helicopters and Cristal Champagne, but today DJ Fresh is enjoying something altogether more relaxing – a nice cream tea. The
* Oxford’s own sausage restaurant, The Big Bang, has had its ups and downs, closing and reopening recently. But now it has something to be proud of: it received a prestigious Three Star rating from the Sustainable Restaurant Association. This is the
The Twilight Saga: Treading Water would be more apt, considering how scriptwriter Melissa Rosenberg manages to expand 30 minutes of plot into two hours of anticipation and dread. A climactic battle royale between the diabolical Volturi and the
THEY have dominated New Zealand’s music charts for more than a decade but never cracked it overseas. Proud Kiwi JASON COLLIE quizzes The Feelers’ drummer Hamish Gee to see if any locals should turn up to Monday’s gig THERE’S a very good chance
In 1991, MARC EVANS was blown away watching the Wedding Present play their Seamonsters album live. For those of you that missed it then, you’re in luck - they’re playing it again to mark the LP’s 21st anniversary. Here he talks to lead singer David
* LADIES, form an orderly queue. Gentlemen too, if you like... because Peter is coming to town. Yes, reality TV star, model, heart throb, celebrity single dad and singer Peter Andre, pictured, brings his latest tour to Oxford on Tuesday, with a show
THE Oxford-based jazz, blues and soul guitarist Peter Galpin died last month aged 62, after losing a brave fight with mesothelioma. Born in Cheadle, South Manchester, Mr Galpin began playing in public from the age of 14, sneaking away from home
Sir – What an excellent letter from Hugh Jaeger promoting the cause of a sensible, clean tram system for Oxford (November 1). I have just returned from Freiburg which he mentions and was mightily impressed not only by the tram system but also the
Sir – Whenever trams are mentioned, Martin Smith rules it out for Oxford on grounds of cost and his opinion that our city is of insufficient size to generate enough demand. However, the common view that “buses are cheap, light railways are expensive
Sir – Those enthusiasts who believe that trams are the answer to Oxford’s transport situation must surely visit Edinburgh and mention the word tram to anyone in that city. Installing the rails alone have created chaos with excavation of the whole road
Sir – As reported recently, Chiltern Railways have been given the go-ahead for their Oxford London service. Meanwhile some protestors (Report, November 1), who have contributed to the two-year delay in delivering this improvement to Oxford’s connections
Sir – I too commend the restoration of the Radcliffe Infirmary, as does Debbie Dance of The Oxford Preservation Trust (Letters, November 1). However there is nothing commendable about the new building that now houses the Jericho Health Centre in
Sir – The speed limit is 20mph in most of Oxford city and the luxury of setting the car’s speed controller at 20mph and driving without worry is available to many but shared with few. If you do this then you probably avoid looking in the rear view
For so many years Oxford’s castle site was a bleak quarter of the city, and not just because of the Victorian prison. Now after the arrival of a unique hotel and heritage centre, we are promised a major new attraction in the shadow of the Castle
Folk Gravenhurst/ Soledad Vélez/ Seabuckthorn The Cellar, Oxford Tonight 8pm to 10.30pm Tickets: £6 on the door 01865 244761 The Bristol collective Gravenhurst headlines a night of quirky and left field music for the
The problems caused by one council taking a decision which then causes difficulties for another, rears its head again over the issue of car parking charges at some of the city’s parks. While it has produced some revenue for the city council,
With their razor-sharp suits, coiffured hair and expensive shoes, Johnny Scratchley and his nine-piece group look like they have stepped out of a 1930s swing band. So it comes as some surprise to hear them burst into a big, brassy bass-heavy onslaught
Rufus Waniwright has had quite a time of it recently, with the past couple of years being a period of incredible personal highs, huge creativity and great success. He has married his long-term partner, had a baby with a childhood friend, and recorded
FUNDRAISERS will run, cycle and dance across Oxfordshire for this year’s mammoth cash effort for Children in Need. Tonight, The Oxford Athletics Association will start generating funds for the charity when they attempt to break the world record
A COUPLE say their lives were saved by the seconds smoke alarms bought them after their dishwasher caught fire. Peter and Audrey Junor were woken by the alarms and were able to tackle the blaze and flee their home at 4am on Saturday. Mr Junor
Rising stage star Leonie Spilsbury, who polished her acting skills at the Oxford School of Drama, returns to the city next week to play a leading role. She takes the part of the beautiful, headstrong adulteresss Maria Bertram in Tim Luscombe’s new
INDIVIDUALS are being encouraged to invest in the development of a high-speed rural broadband scheme in west Oxfordshire. The Cotswold Broadband Group is looking to raise £5m from the scheme, with the aim of rolling out fibreoptic broadband services
Oxford City Stars claimed bragging rights after enjoying victory in a bad-tempered Town v Gown clash. Stars beat Oxford Blues, the university side 6-3 in a game that saw 100 minutes of penalties handed out as both sides failed to keep their cool
NEARLY 100 businesses in Oxford have signed up to a trial food waste collection service. The city-wide trial, funded by the not for profit organisation ReMade South East, helps to divert waste away from landfill into renewable energy and fertiliser
A SOLDIER killed in Afghanistan on Remembrance Sunday has been described as an amazing father and fantastic husband. Captain Walter Barrie, of 1st Battalion, the Royal Regiment of Scotland, who had joined the Army as a private, was shot at close
Phil Allen’s 14 dolls helped Bicester to a 4-2 win over Banbury in the Banbury Indoor League. Steve Arthurs also posted 14 dolls as Deddington defeated Easington 4-2. Six Bells C stayed top of the Kidlington Indoor League with a 4-2 win over Kidlington
Like many of you in the past weeks I have been gripped by the crazy US election. As an avid West Wing fan (if you haven’t seen it you must – it’s an education in US politics) it felt like watching an extended episode, as the race for president was
Headington Road Runners maintained their triple title hopes after round two of the Apex Sports Chiltern Cross Country League at Shuttleworth College. The Oxford club stayed top of the ladies’ and both veterans Division 1 standings following some
PLANS to tear down old buildings at St Clare’s College in Summertown to build a six-classroom block have been given the go-ahead. The work will see a biology laboratory, prep room, lean-to workshop and store, sheds and two greenhouses demolished
Headington Conservative Club cut the gap at the top of Section 2 in the Johnsons Buildbase Oxford League to four points with a 5-0 win at home to Dolphin. Tim Jeffreys, Sid Ponting (3,330), Graham Mildenhall, Dave Gordon and Keith Hollis (4,230
AN UNELECTED deputy to support the new top police job will cover duties when the commissioner is away on holiday or off sick. But with one day to go before election day, questions have been raised over how democratic the deputy position is.
OXFORD residents are among the most generous in the country, according to research from anti-poverty charity ActionAid. People living in the city this year sponsored 347 children through its child sponsorship programme, making it the 16th most
Banbury's Prodrive WRC Team today wished Spanish rally driver Dani Sordo the best of luck for the future, following his move to the Citroen World Rally Team for 2013. Dave Wilcock, Prodrive WRC Team principal, said "Dani is one of the top drivers
DIDCOT: A cyclist who died after a collision with a car earlier this month was yesterday named as Paul Welch. The 67-year-old, of Barleyfields, died of his injuries a day after the accident at the Foxhall Road and Broadway roundabout on November
BURFORD: The A361 was closed near the Cotswold Wildlife Park yesterday after electricity cables came down next to the road. Police officers were called at about 11.10am and closed the road in both directions after a lorry hit the cables. It reopened
OXFORD: Police have not yet identified the 21-year-old woman who was killed after being repeatedly run over on the A40 on Monday. She was hit by a Ford Ka at about 10.30pm on the westbound carriageway between Forest Hill and the Thornhill park-and-ride
FORMER motor racing boss Adrian Reynard has unveiled multi-million pound plans for the future of RAF Bicester. Mr Reynard, 61, confirmed he was one of four shortlisted bidders vying to buy the former bomber airfield off Skimmingdish Lane. If
Julian Richardson helped England to vet 45 team gold on his debut at the British & Irish Masters Cross Country International in Belfast. The Oxford City athlete was the second runner home in England’s scoring team of four at Queen’s University
Frilford Heath’s Eddie Pepperell has received a late call-up to compete in South African Open which starts today at Serengeti. And the 21-year-old, pictured right, could not hide his excitement after being handed his first taste of action on the
Didcot Town defender Lee Henderson’s season looks to be over after a double leg fracture in the 2-1 defeat at home to Swindon Supermarine. The centre back suffered the break just above his right ankle an hour into their Evo-Stik Southern League
OXFORD: The funeral of Leslie Belcher will be held next Thursday. Mr Belcher, 51, died at Lucy Faithfull House two weeks ago. The funeral at the Church of the Holy Family, in Cuddesdon Way, Blackbird Leys, is at noon. His daughter Sian Hawley
TWO campaigns to improve reading standards among schoolchildren are running well side-by-side, according to education officials. Oxfordshire County Council’s is running a reading campaign while Oxford City Council has its own numeracy and literacy
Hadden Hill junior Victoria Hart has been selected for the England Birdie Year One Squad. Hart, 12, a member of the Berks, Bucks & Oxon Golf Partnership junior academy at Studley Wood, is one of 62 girls throughout the country chosen by England
OXON: The number of people out of work and claiming Jobseekers’ Allowance in Oxfordshire has fallen for the seventh month in a row. Official figures show there were 6,526 claimants in the county laset month, down 174 on September and 1,199 fewer
THE latest winners of the Oxford Mail’s Loyalty Card prize draw have been readers of the paper as long as they can remember. Pensioners Joan and Alf Pill from Kidlington, won £50, which Mrs Pill said they would spend on something special to celebrate
CARTERTON: A 28-year-old man was hit over the head with a weapon when he was attacked by four men in their late teens. The assault happened between 6.30pm and 6.45pm on Sunday in the car park behind the library off Alvescot Road. He was treated
OXFORD: The world’s first children’s hospice is marking its 30th birthday today. Helen House opened in Leopold Street, East Oxford on November 15, 1982, and was followed by Douglas House, the first hospice geared at young adults, in 2004. The
EXPERTS are predicting a low turnout but a Conservative victory as voters go to the polls to elect a new Thames Valley crime commissioner today. The polls opened at 7am and will stay open until 10pm. The winner is expected to be announced tomorrow
JIMMY Stringer will wake in prison today cursing. Yesterday he was given more than five years for his part in the £100,000 plunder of a jewellery store in Banbury. That is only because of the bravery of people like Ali Shehan and others in
Gavin Henson has not given up hope of returning to international rugby and believes London Welsh coach Lyn Jones is the man to get him back to his best. The 30-year-old has been out of the Wales set-up since dislocating a wrist in a warm-up game
Oxford University 31, Major Stanley's XV 22. IT was a case of eighth time lucky as Oxford University defeated the Major Stanley's XV to record their first victory of the season. The Dark Blues had lost six and drawn one before this traditional
DERRICK Holt (ViewPoints, November 13) is correct in stating that humans are omnivores but the term does not imply the necessity to eat ‘everything’ – merely the ability to do so. As a lifelong vegetarian/vegan, I can assert with authority that
WHY do we have so many dim-witted councillors? Your paper (November 13) reports that taxpayers will be charged an extra £2,000 for the reprint of the city council’s magazine, Your Oxford, because the council leader, Bob Price, included “alarming
I am writing about the story Plans For New School Spark Traffic Worries. First I would like to strongly disagree with the chair of governors, Tyndale School, saying there was no one consensus in favour or against the planned school at the meeting
FOLLOWING extensive research, it has been reported in The Lancet that the younger women are when they quit smoking – presumably in common with men – the less likely they are to die of illnesses related to that habit. I fancy there could well be
THE have-a-go-hero who rugby tackled a hammer-wielding robber said he is glad to see him behind bars. Thanks to members of the public Jimmy Stringer didn’t get far after a smash-and-grab raid on a jewellery shop. Yesterday Stringer was jailed
DAVID Gedge should be enjoying the easy life as one of the elder statesmen of the alternative music scene. Instead he’s as busy as he’s ever been, organising festivals, touring the world and the UK, creating new Wedding Present album Valentina,
Mark Bradstock believes Carruthers is “in with a shout” of repeating last year’s Hennessy Gold Cup triumph following the unveiling of the weights for the Newbury showpiece. Speaking at a lunch at the Berkshire course yesterday ahead of the race
James Roberts continued his extraordinary goalscoring run by grabbing a late winner to send Oxford United through 3-2 against Plymouth Argyle in the FA Youth Cup. The striker hit his 15th goal in seven games with a low shot on 83 minutes to decide
ONCE again my latest offering is to correct some of Mr Siret’s misleading letter (ViewPoints, November 7). It was he who in the first place suggested that I watch the BBC for an alternative view. It now seems that if I suggest he look to the BBC
HIDDEN in plain view, an open secret, people turned a blind eye while Jimmy Savile sexually abused young teenage girls and boys. The BBC hasn’t been open and honest about what went on but now the truth is coming out. It seems that many people knew
PEOPLE will be rightly concerned that the leader of Oxford City Council allowed the letter over his name in the latest edition of Your Oxford to be printed and distributed with so many inaccuracies, as reported in your paper (November 13). While
TALKS about the need for smoke alarms to save lives took a light-hearted turn when one councillor declared his desire to have a chute connecting his window with the ground. Unusually, laughs were heard during a meeting of the county council’s safer
A lane of the A40 is currently closed after a crash between a car and a motorbike near Barnard Gate this morning. Police officers were called to the scene at around 6am and closed the lane towards Witney. The police is still at the scene and
A PRIMARK security guard who saved a toddler from choking to death is to be honoured today. Genny Cupi put his fingers down little Shane Coombes’ mouth to dislodge the sweet blocking his airway. The incident happened in the Westgate Centre
CHEF Raymond Blanc was forced to stop serving a lambs’ liver dish in his restaurant chain because of food poisoning fears. Staff at the branch of Brasserie Blanc at Covent Garden in London were told by the local environmental health officer about
NO ARRESTS have been made following a stabbing at a gipsy funeral in Oxford on Tuesday. Police also said there had been no further reports of trouble following the service at the Greyfriars Church in Iffley Road for 76-year-old great-grandmother
A FORMER Oxford University lecturer defrauded a company of £436,000 to fund her lavish lifestyle, a court heard. Maria Di Natale, 45, was a temporary financial controller for Interstate Associates Limited, which counted Jamie Oliver, The Victoria
POPULAR antiques show Flog It! will be coming to Oxford next month. An episode of the BBC2 series, hosted by Paul Martin, will be filmed at the Oxford Union in Frewin Court and people are being invited to bring their treasures for a valuation.
OLYMPIC gold medal winner Lord Coe visited Oxford to sign copies of his autobiography yesterday. And taking up her spot in the front of the queue at Waterstone’s in Broad Street was great-grandmother Elsie Jones, 92, with daughter Hilary King,
GAVIN Henson was on hand to liven up a PE lesson for pupils at an Oxford school as London Welsh launched their community programme yesterday. The Wales star joined in a session with pupils at Sandhills Primary School, along with Exiles skipper
SCHOOLS in Oxfordshire have been told to go green or face paying nearly half a million pounds of the county council’s energy tax bill. Already faced with budget cuts from the new Government formulas, schools are now under pressure to cut back on
IT’S been a difficult few weeks for schools on the financial front. First off is the new Government-led funding formula – such phrases are usually a euphemism for cuts – and now the threat of being stung for energy tax bills imposed on Oxfordshire
COMPANY owners are being given the opportunity to design and build their own offices at a North Oxfordshire business park. A site totalling 3.34 acres has been released at the Apollo Office Park in Wroxton and is being offered for sale as a whole
T he trend among a certain section of society, so I am told, is to avoid brands and show your individuality. No more walking around with an advertisement on your chest, in the shape of the brand logo of the maker of your tee shirt; no more travelling
Rock climbing may not seem an obvious route to a new computer training business, but it paved the way for entrepreneurial Banbury web developer John Snelling. Having trained as a lighting engineer, he had moved into web development, then enrolled
After years of ‘growing pains’, Oxfordshire inventor Tom Smith has finally found the funding to develop his low-cost solar pump to irrigate fields in the developing world. Now all he needs is a local landowner with a borehole or well where he can
Like all forms of printed publication, comics are facing challenging times. The Dandy will produce its last print edition next month, coinciding with its 75th anniversary before carrying on in digital form online. Other famous titles including
Standing In Another Man’s Grave by Ian Rankin Rebus is back — after an absence of five years. Those unfamiliar with the 60-year-old curmudgeonly retired cop will not have to read far before they know him to be a man who remains a pessimist, yet
Hugo Pickering, of Cotswolds Broadband, answers our questions What was your first job and what did your responsibilities include? My first serious job after art college was as a production assistant at a marketing services agency in London
T he annual report into comparative global income tax rates, the Individual Income Tax and Social Security Rate Survey, always makes interesting reading. It will come as no surprise to readers to learn UK taxpayers are just about taxed to the hilt
Diabetes is now a worldwide epidemic. In 1985, an estimated 30 million people across the globe, a figure which had leapt to 285 million by 2009, of which 90-95 per cent is Type 2. Type 1 diabetes is an auto-immune disease and requires insulin to
Flautist Rachel Illsley has spent 35 years playing romantic tunes — now her own dream has come true as she launches her own wedding shop. She specialised in wedding performances, which meant she got to know the florists, photographers and other
Spies and terrorists dream of infiltrating Number 10 Downing Street but a small company in west Oxfordshire has done it over a cup of tea. Loose-leaf tea supplier Jeeves & Jericho burst onto the business scene 18 months ago but already counts
London Welsh are planning to establish an academy in Oxford-shire next year as part of longer term plans which could include moving the entire professional operation up from the capital. The Exiles are delighted with how their groundshare at the
What do Pooh Sticks, serving vegetarian food at TruckFest, and eradicating Polio from the world have in common? They are all events, or aims, of the Rotary Club of Oxford Spires. In 2013, the club will be celebrating its 10th anniversary. Oxford
The Witney 1 team is so strong and the line-up so consistent that it has recently proved all but unbeatable — in fact Witney went through the whole of last season’s league and cup competitions without a loss. So it was something of a surprize to
With the game season well under way, we are being asked for suitable wines to go with this excellent source of low fat organic free-range food. Grouse is, as usual, very expensive this year but the ever-popular pheasant and partridge are great-value
The musical didn't really exist for the first 30 years of cinema history and it's largely been out of favour with mainstream audiences for the last five decades. Yet, it remains one of the most beloved movie genres and you only have to watch Strictly
Cinema has a long tradition of speculating about the afterlife. Several fantasies, including Alexander Hall's Here Comes Mr Jordan (1941) and Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger's A Matter of Life and Death (1946), have focused on deceased protagonists
PENSIONERS who can afford to forgo their annual Winter Fuel Payment are being encouraged to donate it to those who will struggle to keep warm this winter. And the Under Sheriff of Oxfordshire, Graham Upton, has become one of the first to donate
INSPIRATIONAL young people from around Oxfordshire will be celebrated at an awards ceremony arranged by youngsters themselves. Nominations opened on Tuesday for the fourth Oxfordshire Youth Awards, which will take place on Thursday, February 21
IMPROVEMENT of museums in Oxfordshire could be on the cards after the launch of a survey. People in the county are being asked for their views on venues such as the Ashmolean, Pitt Rivers and Oxfordshire Museum. Oxford ASPIRE, a partnership
