Archive
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County council grant settlement 'not good news'
OXFORDSHIRE County Council bosses are to press ahead with library funding cuts and job losses despite new figures which suggest it will escape the cuts relatively unscathed. The Government this week published how much revenue councils would
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Library is a lifeline, say protesters
LIBRARY users are to stage a 150-strong protest against plans to stop funding for their 76-year-old branch. They will protest against Oxfordshire County Council’s decision outside the library in Bury Knowle Park, Headington, Oxford, from 11am to noon
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School stalwarts bow out
TWO school stalwarts are retiring after clocking up over a half a century of service between them. Didcot Girls’ School catering manager Lenore Mole, of Norreys Road, Didcot, leaves after 31 years, while the school’s senior science technician Val Walkinshaw
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Day Break
A delighted David Nicholls, winner of the Oxford Mail/ Waterstone’s Book of the Year award, tells ANDREW FFRENCH about the challenges that lie ahead after his year of glory. LIFE surely can’t get much better for author David Nicholls. His
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Market Research
WILLIAM CROSSLEY hops across the Channel to sample Christmas markets in Germany and Belgium. ONE shopping weekend until Christmas and still wondering where to go for that special gift for that special someone? It’s not too late to make tracks
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Badly Brilliant
BURLESQUE (12A) Musical/Romance/Comedy. Christina Aguilera, Cher, Stanley Tucci, Eric Dane, Cam Gigandet, Kristen Bell, Peter Gallagher, Alan Cumming, Dianna Agron. Director: Steve Antin. If the scripts for Chicago,
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Bex In The City
Tim Hughes meets one of the voices of the decade – striking pop idol Sophie Ellis-Bextor. WHAT do you think was the most played song on radio over the past 10 years? Go on have a guess. I bet you don’t know. Give up? Well I’ll tell you – though
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We Have Ignition...
WE are well and truly in festive mood here at The Guide, looking forward to filling a few stockings and toasting the season of goodwill with some of our editor’s egg nog. But while the city’s venues get quieter in the run-up to Christmas, thoughts have
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Old Fire Station project for homeless wins Lottery cash
A MULTI-MILLION pound Oxford homeless project has been given a £491,000 Lottery boost. The plan for the Old Fire Station, in George Street, will create a theatre, dance studio, gallery and creative workshops for the young homeless and arts groups. It
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Getaway Man
KATHERINE MACALISTER is impressed with a venue that walks a fine line between pub grub and gastro pub, The Retreat, and negotiates it with ease. Webster is such a maverick name, a bit like Dirk or Brett. Think 1950s American detective with
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Space Oddity
TRON: LEGACY (PG). Sci-Fi/Action. Jeff Bridges, Garrett Hedlund, Olivia Wilde, Michael Sheen, Bruce Boxleitner, Cillian Murphy. Director: Joseph Kosinski. Return to the digital realm of Steven Lisberger’s cult 1982 adventure
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AN ALTERNATIVE CHRISTMAS...
It may be Christmas with the panto season in full swing, but if you’ve missed the big shows, then fear not, help is at hand, proving that there’s more to the festive period than ‘ho ho ho’. So here’s KATHERINE MACALISTER’S Alternative Christmas
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Elf Warning
Ittttttttttttttttttttttttt’s Christmassssssssssssssssss! Not quite of course, but who’s counting? And at this time of year, we can all be forgiven for dropping our ‘cool’, ditching our ‘attitude’ and ringing grannie, just to make sure she does really
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Signal problems disrupt rail services
POWER supply problems affecting signals are causing severe disruption to train services through Didcot Parkway station this evening. First Great Western is running an emergency timetable on its routes between London, Oxford, the Cotswolds,
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Parking fees to be reviewed
A BID to raise parking charges across the Cherwell district is to be reviewed. A watchdog committee at Cherwell District Council will look at the authority’s plans to increase the hourly charge by 10p in council car parks, axe free disabled parking and
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Multisport gym opens
TEMPERATURES may be heading south but that has not deterred hardy souls from enjoying Oxford’s latest outdoor attraction. A giant multisport gym or ‘adiZone’ has opened in Marston, complete with basketball, football and tennis facilities, a
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New book is a magic read
After writing a short story for her new grandson, Jan Cooper never imagined it would be published. But now The Sick Witch is available in book shops across the country, and one copy has even been ordered from America. Mrs Cooper, 50, from Carterton,
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Drivers face further A34 jams
Drivers faced further delays on the A34 this afternoon caused by a crash and a broken down bus. The bus broke down on the northbound carriageway before the B4027 junction. Police are on the scene. Further congestion was caused
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Motoring journalist named best in regional press
A regional press motoring writer has been named as the best in the UK at an annual awards ceremony. David Duffy, who writes on motoring and motorsport for the Oxford Mail, The Oxford Times and other Newsquest Oxfordshire publications, has been
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FIXTURES December 17
SATURDAY. FOOTBALL. NPOWER LEAGUE TWO. Oxford Utd v Shrewsbury Tn. FOOTBALL LEAGUE YOUTH ALLIANCE. South West Conference: Oxford Utd v Swindon Tn Youth. ZAMARETTO SOUTHERN LEAGUE. Premier Div: Bashley Utd v Banbury Utd, Cambridge City v Oxford
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Local share prices (PM)
AEA Technology 5.6 BMW 5339 Electrocomponents 266.8 Nationwide Accident Repair 96 Oxford Biomedica 5.95 Oxford Catalysts 60 Oxford Instruments 694.5 Reed Elsevier 530.25 RM 158 RPS Group 235.5 Courtesy of Redmayne Bentley, Abingdon
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Making tracks for some market research
ONE shopping weekend until Christmas and still wondering where to go for that special gift for that special someone? It’s not too late to make tracks for the Continent and take in a Christmas market. Although I was definitely not born to shop, I accepted
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Man chased women in Littlemore
Police are appealing for information after an attempted robbery in Littlemore. Two women, aged 33 and 42, were walking along Sandford Road at approximately 11.15pm on Wednesday, December 8, when the incident happened. Police only released details
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Fears over plans to downgrade area committees
PLANS to downgrade Oxford City Council’s area committees will “divorce” the authority from the people it serves, opposition councillors have claimed. Six area committees serve the city at present, dealing with neighbourhood issues, planning applications
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Creation Theatre founder announces departure
THE show must go on – that is the message from the founder of a groundbreaking Oxford theatre company who has announced his departure. David Parrish set up the Creation Theatre Company 16 years ago and over that time thousands of people have
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A premier sort of home
A North Oxford house with a strong connection to former Prime Minister Harold Wilson is on the market. The 19th-century semi-detached house in Chalfont Road is owned by the late Labour politician’s son, Professor Robin Wilson, and his wife, Joy Crispin-Wilson
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Local share prices
AEA Technology 5.55 BMW 5316 Electrocomponents 268.6 Nationwide Accident Repair 96.5 Oxford Biomedica 5.8 Oxford Catalysts 60 Oxford Instruments 688.25 Reed Elsevier 534.25 RM 157.75 RPS Group 239 Courtesy of Redmayne Bentley, Abingdon
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RUGBY UNION: Hopkins star turn
Banbury Under 13B twice came from behind to defeat Shipston-on-Stour 42-35. William Hopkins (4), Jack Howells, Charlie Wheeler, William Bradbury and Isaiah Rudkin scored their tries, with Luca Catania converting one. OTHER RESULTS
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Driver in hospital after crash at Botley Interchange
A man was taken to hospital with chest pains after a collision on the A34 slip road at Oxford's Botley Interchange. A grey Ford Focus and a blue Peugeot 106 collided on the northbound slip road just after 7.30am today. The accident caused tailbacks
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AUNT SALLY: Adams haul in vain as Cricketers are hit for six
Phil Adams led off with a six in his 15-doll haul – but it couldn’t save Cricketers from a 6-0 thrashing by Jolly Postboys in the Gladiators Beer Seller Friday League. RESULTS Gladiators Beer Seller Wednesday League: Yellows 4, Garsington A 2; Team
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Little stars shine in school nativities
FROM Mary and Joseph to second shepherd and third tree, everybody remembers their first starring role in the school nativity play. And as Oxfordshire’s children don tea towels and dressing gowns for their big performance, tomorrow’s Oxford
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Didcot army hero 'Britain's best'
AN ARMY explosives expert from Didcot was named Britain’s Most Outstanding Soldier last night. Sergeant Major Karl Ley, of the Royal Logistic Corps, who is based at Vauxhall Barracks, was honoured at The Sun Military Awards 2010. The father-of-three
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RUGBY UNION: Quins' numbers question
A few eyebrows may have been raised when Oxford Harlequins 2nd gave a walkover on Saturday while their thirds still played. Quins’ seconds could not raise a side to visit Henley 3rd in BB&O Premier A, but their thirds lost to Aylesbury Athletic in Division
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BAR BILLIARDS: Oxford end 13-year wait to claim cup glory
Oxford A lifted the Inter Area Cup for the first time since 1997 with a 6-4 victory on aggregate over Wallingford A, writes PETE EWINS. Leading 4-1 from the away leg, Oxford went down 3-2 on the Kennington Club table, but that was enough to capture
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GOLF: Kirtlington's new captains drive in
Kirtlington's four new captains have driven in for their years of office. New club captain Leighton Davies was joined by Elaine Hunt (ladies), Martin Salisbury (seniors) and Helen Cross (juniors). The day saw a nine-hole stableford competition,
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Hairdressers ordered to close over parking issues
A BARBER has been ordered to shut his East Oxford salon because too many people are parking outside to get haircuts. Akmal Hairdresser’s has attracted hundreds of customers a week since it opened about 10 years ago. But now, following
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RUGBY UNION: Council buy up Banbury ground
Banbury RFC have welcomed the news that their Bodicote Park ground has been purchased by Cherwell District Council. The council, which is obliged to build a pavilion and make the site available for public sporting use, bought it for £240,000 last week
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Thursday, December 16: Assaulted immigration officer
LURKING behind the door of day 16 is a man wanted by police over an assault in Oxford. Kambulu Joao, 28, of Cranley Road, Barton, Oxford, went to St Aldate’s police station on June 10 over an immigration issue, having arranged a meeting with a UK Border
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Terrible threats
Sir – I found the student protests in Oxford distinctly heartening. What is actually happening is that the implications of the cuts are sinking in and young people are showing the lead. Most of us feel threatened and affected by the cuts. I have a daughter
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Crash blocks A34
A crash today blocked the northbound A34 causing long delays near Oxford. The road was blocked between the B4027 Islip turn and junction 9 of the M40. It was the second collision on the road to cause hold-ups today. Earlier, a two-car crash
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ICE HOCKEY: Stars slip in double loss
Oxford City Stars suffered a double reverse in English National League South Division 1 with a 5-2 defeat at Milton Keynes Thunders followed by a 5-1 loss away to Romford Raiders. Although the scorelines were similar, the performances were not. Milton
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Denuded of trees
Sir – Can we know how much further Abingdon Road is to be denuded of trees? I can understand the tidying up of the ‘jungle’ opposite Hinksey Park, but now I see that the very tall trees alongside the horse sanctuary are under the chainsaws. Someone please
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Welcoming premises
Sir – Whilst Peter Howell in his letter (December 9) criticises the elevational treatment of the alterations to the Wesley Memorial Church Hall, he appears not to appreciate why we exist and what we have achieved over the last 125 years. By bringing
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Cuts for high earners
Sir – My simple arithmetic leads to a suggestion that may offend some high earners within Oxfordshire County Council. If the chief executive, whose reported salary is £189,158, and roughly nine times of those who earn £21,000, was to forfeit £100,000
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Artist drawns on words of love
The column that supplies everything offers a thought today on the subject of love. It is taken from a little book, The Stick Man’s Guide to Love, by the Oxford artist and writer Francis O’Neill. This handsome little volume — it would make an ideal Christmas
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Slave labour
Sir – The county council is making library staff at 20 libraries around the county redundant, and threatening the communities with closure of these libraries unless volunteers come forward to replace paid staff. The county council should not be blindly
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Precious community site
Sir – Summertown library, we are told, is to be closed next year. It is one of the few public spaces in North Oxford used five days a week by hundreds of people. Anyone can drop in and browse or borrow books, consult newspapers and encyclopedias and
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Cyclists in the dark
Sir – Many cyclists in Oxford appear to be seeking death by cycling at great speed in the dark whilst wearing grey or black clothes and without bells or lights. Not only is such behaviour reckless, but also very selfish. The motorists who will inevitably
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No-win situation
Sir – Last week, Oxford City Council’s (OCC’s) City Executive Board (CEB) agreed to progress proposals to introduce parking charges in Cutteslowe Park. The report written for the CEB states “The introduction of charging may displace parking into the
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Too great a burden
Sir – I am writing to express my concern about the proposed closure of 20 youth centres in Oxfordshire. For over 30 years I have been involved, as a volunteer, in supporting youth provision for young people in the Wood Farm and Lye Valley areas of Oxford
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Abandon books bid
Sir – Given the proposal to cut almost half of Oxfordshire’s libraries, I presume that the county council will now withdraw its support for the bid to become World Book Capital 2014. It would be absurd to pursue both courses at once. It is clear that
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Bending the rules on alcohol reduction
In the course of a self-flagellating — and, indeed, self-congratulatory — article in The Times Magazine on Saturday, Robert Crampton described how he had successfully beaten a retreat from the front line of what he called “middle-class drinking”. From
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Browns, Woodstock Road, Oxford
As some of my friends will doubtless tell you with a yawn, I am one of those sad old characters who remembers Browns from its earliest days. The pulchritudinous waitresses, the 95p spaghetti meal that included both salad bowl (four varieties of
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An end of an era for Oxford school as Academy gets ready to open
EVERY student in East Oxford will have the chance to reach new heights of achievement.” That was the message as Oxford School marked its last day before becoming an academy after the Christmas break. Hundreds of pupils attended a final assembly yesterday
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Winner admits that his restaurant writing is a game
Michael Winner’s serene contempt for public opinion is one of his most appealing features. For his weekly column in The Sunday Times, which has been required reading for 16 years, he personally chooses the (largely abusive of him) Michael’s Missives
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RUGBY UNION: Christmas will come too soon for Wallingford
Wallingford director of rugby Martin Moran is no scrooge, but he is not looking forward to the Christmas break. After a struggling start to the South West 1 East season, Wallingford have now won their last two matches. And Moran feels they are building
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Festive warm canapes
This is not a recipe as such, rather a list of suggestions of party treats that can be made if you have mashed potatoes and any other mashed vegetables — celeriac or swede — that need using up. Mashed vegetables can be packed in a plastic bag and frozen
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Tron: Legacy and Burlesque
Return to the digital realm of Steven Lisberger’s cult 1982 adventure in Joseph Kosinski’s high-tech reboot, which screens in 3D in most cinemas. Set in the present day, Tron: Legacy journeys back into the mainframe where battles are resolved using razor-sharp
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Ready to party - with or without the booze
With Christmas fast approaching, it’s time to stock your drinks cupboard with liqueurs and spirits not normally bought the rest of the year, which — if drunk in moderation —can add their own touch of magic to the festivities. The art of mixing drinks
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The Oxford Career of social reformer William Beveridge
Two debates at one social gathering caught my ear this week. One was about how taking aspirin — the manufacture and mass marketing of which at the end of the 19th century marked the beginning of the modern pharmaceutical industry — can reduce the risk
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CRICKET: Oxfordshire Under 19s beaten in Perth
Oxfordshire Under 19s crashed to a disappointing four-wicket defeat against Belridge Acadamy on their first day in Perth, Western Australia. Winning the toss and batting on a fast pitch, Oxon were guilty of poor running bet-ween the wickets as they posted
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Big queues for Mail film festival
THE Oxford Mail’s Over 60s film festival ended with a sell-out showing of Made in Dagenham yesterday. The three-day celebration of feel-good films for the city’s senior citizens was hailed a huge success by Suzy Sheriff, manager of the Phoenix Picturehouse
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Don't want the worry
Regarding a passage from the Oxfordshire County Council website regarding cuts: (Staff reductions, Keeping down contract costs, Provision of transport for day services), it looks like home support and relief for carers will be shut down, so will no longer
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Doing their job
Over the next nine days many of your readers will buy products that are age-restricted, such as alcohol, tobacco, DVDs and computer games, even Christmas crackers. To prevent under-age sales and avoid possible prosecution most shops operate a Think
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Recycling jewel
Redbridge recycling centre is the jewel in the recycling crown and must be kept open to the general public. The county council’s plan to close half its recycling centres is shameful and at time when everyone is recycling more. Redbridge is Oxfordshire
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Disgraceful denial of rights at Parliament
I am writing to inform you of the disgraceful treatment my daughter and her friends received whilst exercising their democratic right to peacefully demonstrate against the introduction of tuition fees last Thursday. They marched peacefully into Parliament
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RUGBY UNION: Henderson must wait on future
Murray Henderson will have to wait until mid-January to learn whether he will be offered another contract as Oxford University head coach. The New Zealander, who coached Oxford to a surprise 21-0 victory over Cambridge in the 129th Varsity Match last
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Tamiflu reaction victim tells of struggle to recover, one year on
“I SAY to a lot of people now not to take their sight for granted... you don’t know how privileged you are until it has gone.” Those were the words of Samantha Millard who 12 months ago was on a life support machine and battling to survive after taking
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ATHLETICS: Blackledge on song again
Former Oxford University student Jonathan Blackledge retained his Andy Reading 10K title after dominating the race at Chesterton. The 26-year-old Belgrave Harrier stormed to the front early on to finish 47 seconds clear in a time of 32mins 4secs. Eddie
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ATHLETICS: Results round-up
ANDY READING RESULTS 10K RACE (top 30, senior men unless stated) 1 J Blackledge (Belgrave Harriers) 32.04, 2 E O'Gorman (Chiltern Harriers) 32.51, 3 G Harris (Headington) 33.26, 4 O Ellis (Abingdon) 33.36, 5 N Marley (Coventry) 33.48, 6 P Fernandez
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The Insider: A weekly update from the corridors of power
A spy tells me that Prime Minister David Cameron has been spotted buying a Lottery ticket in a supermarket in Chipping Norton. This is a worrying development indeed. You know the country’s finances are in bad shape if the PM is banking on a Lotto win
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Beggars belief
OXFORD is bottom of the league tables for the reading ability of young children. So what does the county council do? It decides to close libraries, or have them run by volunteers. It beggars belief. AUDREY SAUNDERS, Latimer Road, Oxford
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Get off the fence
Jean Fooks cannot be allowed to get away with sitting on the fence as in her letter (Tuesday’s ViewPoints). The Liberal-Conservative coalition government is cutting public spending to restore a balanced national budget and to maintain confidence in our
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CRICKET: Oxon tourists meet 'old boy' Strauss
England cricket captain Andrew Strauss took time out from his final practice session before the third Test to meet the touring Oxfordshire Under 19 squad at the WACA in Perth yesterday. Former Oxfordshire batsman Strauss, who endorsed Oxon’s tour, signed
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Woodstock Music Society: St Mary Magdalene Church
The highlight of Woodstock Music Society’s Christmas concert was Vaughan Williams’s epic Hodie, the cantata he wrote at the age of 81 to relate and comment upon the story of the Nativity. Infused with a variety of musical styles and contrasting
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Henry Aldrich (1648-1710) An Oxford Universal Man: Christ Church Picture Gallery
An unusual — and Oxford orientated — exhibition is on in the drawings gallery at Christ Church until January 30. It shows works from the vast collection of a late-17th-century Oxford polymath whose many interests and activities, coupled with a powerful
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Matilda, the Royal Shakespeare Company, Courtyard Theatre, Stratford
It would be hard to imagine a bigger supply of festive fun than that offered by the Royal Shakespeare Company in its musical version of Roald Dahl’s Matilda. The show is by turns hilarious and deeply moving. It features superb performances from
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Closure on the cards for John
A MAN who sells cards on a market stall in Oxford said it was time to “roll with the punches” and shut up shop. John Irvin, 51, from Stokenchurch, has run John’s Discount Cards from a stall opposite Bonn Square for nearly three decades. But he said
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Formula One-style technology used in court case
FORMULA One-style technology from a car’s airbag was used in the UK for the first time to help prosecute an Oxford driver responsible for a fatal crash. Investigators were able to pinpoint the moment Anthony Reilly took his foot off the accelerator and
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Closure on the cards for John
A MAN who sells cards on a market stall in Oxford said it was time to “roll with the punches” and shut up shop. John Irvin, 51, from Stokenchurch, has run John’s Discount Cards from a stall opposite Bonn Square for nearly three decades.
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COMMENT: A sad farewell
SO, another sad loss to the city centre. John Irvin is giving up selling cards from the stall he has worked on for 28 years. The opening of a Paperchase card shop opposite will not have helped, but John also offers a fairly stark memorial on the state
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A34 collision causes delays
A MAN was taken to hospital with chest pains after a collision on the A34 slip road at the Botley Interchange, Oxford. A grey Ford Focus and a blue Peugeot 106 collided on the northbound slip road just after 7.30am this morning. The accident caused
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Marston Saints 0 - Cholsey Bluebirds 0
After two weeks forced rest due to the wintery weather that both teams were itching to get on the pitch and run off some of their energy. Both teams worked hard and deserved the draw. Cholsey took the initiative from the start and pressed Marston
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Police to pay crooks a festive visit
CRIMINALS will be paid a special visit from someone important on Christmas Day... and it won’t be Santa Claus! Police officers will be dropping in on crooks for the first time on December 25 to check they are safely at home and not up to mischief. The
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COMMENT: They don't deserve a day off
In terms of making an impact, police in the Vale of White Horse have pretty much got it sussed. Police officers will be dropping in on crooks on December 25 to check they are safely at home and not up to no good. The idea is the brainchild of the man
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Trainee builders' success
Building firm Beard has unveiled impressive results for its 16 trainees. Half of those taking national certificates, diplomas and degrees at the firm based at Cumnor Hill, Oxford, achieved distinctions in the last academic year, while two obtained
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Events for January 2011
For the latest events see www.Oxfordtimes.co.uk/business/diary/ December 21: Fast Track Christmas Launch Event, Hotel Du Vin, New Street, Henley RG9 2BP, 6pm, £15 December 23: Networking event, Biscotti Oxford, Portabello Restaurant, South Parade
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Police plan to call on old lags on Christmas Day
CRIMINALS will be paid a special visit from someone important on Christmas Day... and it won’t be Santa Claus! Police officers will be dropping in on crooks for the first time on December 25 to check they are safely at home and not up to mischief
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Equity investment
Prompted by a succession of readers’ requests, a few months ago I ran the rule over a number of leading fund managers and their UK equity-focused unit trusts. While each manager’s promotional literature sought to out-do the other with a particular
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Plan unveiled to cut A34 speed limit
Transport officials hope slower speeds on the A34 near Oxford will cut accidents and improve journey times. Speed limits on the northbound carriageway, north of the Botley interchange, will be lowered to 50mph under Highways Agency plans. The changes
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Whitehall figures confirm bleak cuts picture
THE LEADER of the county council has criticised new figures from the Government that appear to downplay the extent of the financial crisis facing Oxfordshire. County Hall is standing by its ‘plea of poverty’, despite new figures that suggest a minimal
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New Year VAT changes
Businesses registered for VAT are advised to look at their work in hand and decide whether there is the possibility of invoicing before January 4 at the lower rate. If work is completed or goods delivered before then, the rate of VAT will be 17.5 per
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Euzoia: diagnosis with aptamers
The ancient Greek word euzoia means well-being or in modern parlance, the good life. For Athens-born Dr Sotiris Missailidis, it offered an ideal title for his company, as his goal is the delivery of scientific, pharmaceutical and educational services
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Memoirs of psychotherapist
When images of the survivors of the 7/7 London bombings appeared on our TV screens, John Marzillier was watching with particular interest. After a 37-year career as a psychotherapist, he has become a full-time writer. For his latest project, a book on
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Vauxhall Insignia Sports Tourer VXR
With powerful small capacity engines becoming more popular with manufacturers keen to keep performance high but with less environmental impact, the V6 turbo in the Vauxhall Insignia VXR is something of a guilty pleasure. The 2.8-litre unit produces 320bhp
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Books choice
Bottom of the List Steve Attridge (BeWrite Books, £7.99) This novel by the convener of a new foundation degree in writing for performance at Ruskin College, Oxford, tells the story of the fictitious Roebuck University, where The Government has opened
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History of age of exploration
If your are seeking good books to grace your coffee tables this Christmas, then look no further than The Great Explorers and The Great Empires of Asia (both by Thames and Hudson, £24.99). The explorers girdle the world under the editorship of Robin
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New fiction
TV chat show at one extreme; grinding poverty, sink estates and fallen children at the other extreme. Sam Hayes’s latest novel Someone Else’s Son (Headline, £19.99) is an emotional thriller that lurches wildly between these extremes, and makes that psychological
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David Parrish to leave Creation Theatre
THE show must go on — that is the message from the founder of a groundbreaking Oxford theatre company who has announced his departure. David Parrish set up the Creation Theatre Company 16 years ago and over that time thousands of people have
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Young bathroom designer
You are in your early 20s and unemployment for your age group is higher than ever. There is a recession on and money is tight. A good time to start a business? As far as Kerr Drummond, 25, was concerned, the answer to that question back in May 2008 was
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2011 Oxfordshire Business Awards launch
Champagne corks popped again for the winners of the Oxfordshire Business Awards as they gathered to celebrate their achievements once more and help launch the 2011 competition. They were joined by sponsors including new addition Blenheim Palace, the
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Microfinance in Oxfordshire
With the news that ‘Big Society’ is word of the year for Oxford dictionaries, many people gave a cynical yawn, as well as pointing out that it is in fact two words. Haven't we been here before, with Tony Blair's ‘Third Way’? There may be anger about
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Burford history in pictures
Retired teacher Raymond Moody has been compiling histories of Burford for many years. His latest book, Burford Through Time (Amberley, £14.99), has a short introduction, but mainly consists of old photographs — many of them culled from the Tolsey Museum
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BioMedica shares plummet
OXFORD BioMedica saw its share price plummet after announcing that it needs £20m from investors to fund its research into gene therapy treatments for eye disease, cancer and Parkinson's. Because of the difficult market conditions, it intends to issue
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Housing benefit changes
Areport out this week from the National Centre for Social Research suggests that attitudes to those on benefits are hardening — which might be bad news for the inhabitants of the 17.9 per cent of Oxford homes in which someone receives housing benefit
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Entrepreneur's voice
Recently, I was contacted by Vince Cable inviting me to join his new Entrepreneurs Forum. It is an opportunity to advise the Government on policy relating to the creation of an entrepreneurial environment, and what an opportunity! It is
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Electronics expansion
Electronics firm ALR Services has moved into a major industrial unit at Thame Park Business Centre, Thame. The company, which is one of the largest brokers of printed circuit boards in Europe, has taken a 5,608 sq ft facility on a ten-year lease. Duncan
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Hub at Science Park
Entrepreneurs starting small businesses need office space but often cannot commit to long-term leases. In recognition of this, a suite of small, furnished offices has become available at the Oxford Science Park which are available on a daily, weekly or
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Top Gear workshop gets a barber
FOR TV's Top Gear team to call something a hairdresser's car is usually an insult. But now they have their very own hairdresser, after barber Steve Roberts moved into their technical centre to keep them in trim. Mr Roberts is a member of the Ford Owners
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Land shortage 'driving up prices'
A shortage of land for sale in the county is driving prices higher, according to an expert. Giles Wordsworth, head of estates and farm agency, based in Smiths Gore’s Oxford office, said low availability was causing strong competition for available plots
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High-tech factory
A prime opportunity to acquire a modern, detached office and production facility has opened up at Weston-on-the-Green. One Landscape Close at the Weston Business Park has been recently vacated by hearing aid specialist GN Resound, which has now moved
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Beauty move
Health therapy supplier Shared Beauty Secrets has moved its headquarters from Deddington to Bignell Park Barns in Chesterton. Launched in 2009, the firm is the sole distributor of lava shells for massage, and supplies more than 650 salons and spas across
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Former Oxford United boss in charge at Rovers
Former Oxford United manager Darren Patterson has been put in temporary charge of Bristol Rovers following the sacking of Paul Trollope after their exit from the Johnstone’s Paint Trophy. Patterson, who was assistant boss, will take on the
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Engineering Your Future
More than 100 students from across Oxfordshire attended a special careers day for budding engineers. The Engineering Your Future day was organised by the RAF at the Diamond Light Source, Harwell. Paul Jepson, a student from St Birinus School, Didcot
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Unfit? Give Mark a bell
New Year’s resolutions come and go — many people may already have drawn up their get fit formula for 2011. It could involve lots of running and cycling and, in many cases, expensive gym membership with direct debits being signed for ambitious training
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With a spoonful of sugar
Lee McQueen from Aston Rowant won The Apprentice TV show and has now set up his own academy to help cultivate business talent What was your first job and what did your responsibilities include? My first ever job was a paper round when
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Seeing a way forward
It gave the world the non-stick saucepan, and now Government ministers are hoping space science will work its magic by blasting away the unemployment figures. Minister of State for Universities and Science, David Willetts, is supporting the launch
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King of 'queen' instrument
A few months ago, yew logs were delivered to the workshop of Michael Lowe at Wootton, near Woodstock. Now, after many stages from the initial sawing of the logs to the fine planing of sections to a thickness as little as one-sixteenth of an inch
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Bearing good news
An engineering parts supplier is celebrating a record year with a move to new premises. Oxford Bearings has uprooted from the Chiltern Business centre in Oxford to new purpose-built premises in Transport Way, Cowley. The company, which started in Bicester
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Where there's a will ...
Alison Craggs, of Botley-based law firm Blake Lapthorn, examines the different types of wills available Making a will is something a lot of people put off but is one of the most important documents you can have. If you do not make a will then your
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Geting into print
Contrary to popular perception, the publishing industry is alive and well, with as many books published today as ten years ago. And it’s not just household names like JK Rowling and Terry Pratchet that are filling the Christmas stockings. These
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Happy campers revive old vans
Ten years ago I made one of those decisions that you know is not sensible, but followed it through anyway. I had the chance to buy a Volkswagen camper van, a 1979 Devon Moonraker conversion, and one of the last of the original VW Type 2 campers
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Real Rudolphs roam the land
Suddenly, reindeer are everywhere — in shop windows and Santas’ grottos; on greetings cards and advent calendars; and in the songs that form the soundtrack to our festivities. Then on Twelfth Night, Rudolph and his friends disappear from our
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Lighting up in Abingdon
Commercial lighting firm WILA has opened a new 10,000 sq ft assembly and logistics operation in Abingdon. The new base in Eastern Way comes in addition to its existing sales and marketing offices at the Grove Technology Park. Nine people have been
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Oxford United defender Wright set for early return
Jake Wright continues to make rapid progress from his metatarsal injury – and could feature in Oxford United’s Christmas programme. The centre back, a key part of last year’s promotion-winning squad, has endured a frustrating campaign with
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Invest in our libraries
Sir – It was heartening to read so many letters protesting the proposed closure of local libraries. We will indeed fight these plans, ‘every inch of the way’ (Letters, December 9). I can add only this to what has already been so eloquently
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Shameful act
Sir – Redbridge Recycling Centre is the jewel in the recycling crown and must be kept open to the general public. The county council’s plan to close half its recycling centres is shameful and at time when everyone is recycling more. Redbridge is Oxfordshire
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A true son of Narnia
Bringing his stepfather’s books to the big screen has been quite an adventure for Douglas Gresham. At the recent royal premiere of The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage Of The Dawn Treader, Mr Gresham met the Queen, who reportedly shed tears during a poignant
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Parky at the Pictures (DVD 16/12/2010)
Of course, times change. But there was always something satisfying about poring over the TV listings magazines in the run-up to Christmas and highlighting the old films that specked the schedules. There would be obscure oldies that had been dusted
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Short-sighted move
Sir – In 2005, many of us successfully lobbied for evening and Sunday car parking charges to be dropped. We argued that the policy was extremely detrimental for the evening and weekend economy of Oxford and emphasised that no other UK city, including
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Parky at the Pictures (In Cinemas 16/12/2010)
The restored classic has become something of a fixture on the cinema release schedule. The majority are old Hollywood favourites. But, every now and then, an arthouse gem is burnished and returned to the big screen and few European masterpieces are riper
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Library network is unaffordable
Sir – In response to your readers’ comments on county council proposals to cease funding 20 out of our 43 libraries, I neeed to make two points. Firstly, the local government financial settlement confirms that we cannot afford to maintain the
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Double blow
Sir – Oxfordshire County Council’s Tory administration has dealt Blackbird Leys, together with many other communities in the county, a double blow. Oxfordshire’s youth service is being cut to the bone. We fear that the new service envisaged will not
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Thieves target church five times in a fortnight
THIEVES targeted a historic Didcot church five times in little over a fortnight to strip lead worth more than £6,000 from the vestry roof. Leaders of All Saints Church said it was not covered fully by its insurance and they were looking at installing
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School admits it was ‘mistaken’
A SCHOOL has said it was mistaken over quizzing a child with police about a planned protest without his parents. Nicky Wishart, 12, was questioned by a police officer after he set up a Facebook group to save the youth centre in Eynsham, set to lose county
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Forty years of supporting life
LIFE was founded in 1970 and this year is celebrating its 40th anniversary. LIFE is a national charity which provides a professional range of services for men, women and couples with pregnancy-related issues. The organisation is run by dedicated professionals
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Christmas wine quiz
There are ten questions in each category, moving from nice and easy to devilishly difficult. There are no prizes, just the satisfaction of knowing that you’re pretty wine-smart if you manage to get them all right. Answers next week. Good luck!
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Get out and go wild
Bleak midwinter: In the bleak midwinter wild birds are struggling to find food when the ground is frozen hard and berries are covered with frost and snow. Birds need high-calorie food and fresh water to survive the freezing weather — here’s how you can
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True localism
In the week that the Government announced its new Localism Bill — supposedly devolving power down to local communities — we were treated to the usual Whitehall sophistry over local authority finance. Even the so-called finance experts have had difficulty
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Witney 1 fight off challenge to stay unbeaten
Last week Witney 1 beat off a strong challenge from title holders Oxford City 1 to maintain their unbeaten record and their position at the top of division 1 of the Oxfordshire League. City started the match strongly with two good wins —
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Christmas Gifts, £112
You can’t go wrong with this selection of gifts for friends and family. Why fight your way through the crowds when you can have this case delivered free to your door in good time for Christmas? The Christmas Gifts case costs £112 and includes two bottles
