Archive
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Stretch of the A34 closed after crash
THE northbound A34 near Chieveley will be closed overnight to repair the road after an accident this morning that caused major delays in Oxfordshire. It will be closed between East Isley High Street and the A4185 Chilton Interchange between 10pm
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Fined for selling fake Ugg boots
A WOMAN who sold fake Ugg boots on Facebook was caught by a trading standards officer posing as a customer. The member of Oxfordshire County Council’s Trading Standards team convinced Elizabeth Mildenhall to allow her to come to her home in Lavender
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SCALES OF JUSTICE
OXFORD MAGISTRATES Dannie Bourne, 20, of Colwell Road, Berinsfield, admitted theft by finding after stealing £2,000 in Colwell Road, Berinsfield on September 4. Given a two-year conditional discharge and told to pay a £15 victims’ surcharge.
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‘Stop criminalising the sick for wanting help’
OXFORDSHIRE’S drugs campaigners have highlighted the case of Michelle X, the Abingdon multiple sclerosis sufferer who grew her own cannabis, as “the human cost” of Britain’s drug laws. Calls have been made to let people use cannabis if they suffer
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CRICKET: It's been one big party at end of the season
JACK BROOKS COLUMN Views from the first-class cricketer, who's been letting his hair down So now I’m just over two weeks into the off season and my time off from anything cricket-related and I’ve just about had my fill of punishing my liver
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Turbo (U)
THREE STARS A garden snail feels the need, the need for slime-burning speed in David Soren's heart-warming computer-animated adventure. Turbo (voiced by Ryan Reynolds) and his snail sibling Chet (Paul Giamatti), are first spotted toiling in
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Preview of Curlew River and Hagar in the Wilderness
The Britten 100 celebrations continue next week with a fascinating double bill that pairs Britten’s haunting Curlew River with a new opera by Scottish composer Sally Beamish and librettist Clara Glynn. Hagar in the Wilderness has been jointly commissioned
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Smart teenagers learn leadership at engineering firm
AMBITIOUS teenagers are taking part in a special event aimed at creating the business leaders of the future. The course began at Didcot Girls’ School yesterday and continues next Wednesday. It is targeted at head and deputy head boys and girls
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Turning broken glass into artwork, thanks to the sea
Beachcombing on a beautiful island off the coast of Thailand was deeply inspiring for jewellery designer Becky Morgans. At the time, the mother-of-one’s home was a beach hut, with a workbench and simple living quarters. She spent hours combing
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Education role at church
A new education officer has been appointed at the University Church of St Mary the Virgin. Lea Kloeppinger will be starting her full time role on Monday, November 4 at the church in High Street. Ms Kloeppinger came to Oxford in 2011 to work
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Robert Harris talks about his new novel
By the age of 30 Robert Harris had already achieved what most of us can only dream of. Despite hailing from a Nottingham council estate he got into Cambridge to study English Literature, moved swiftly through the ranks of the BBC to work on Panorama
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Littlemore pub night celebrates jazz age
One part of the city will soon be swinging to the sounds of New Orleans. The George pub in Littlemore is hosting its monthly “jazz jam” on Friday. A host of musicians will descend on the Sandford Road pub at 8.30pm. Singer and organiser
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Out & About: Cooking up a GRATE night out at Sophie Grigson's cookery school
I’ve spent most of my years so far being quite frankly a hopeless cook. But last week I got well and truly bitten by the culinary bug. I’d never made fresh pasta from scratch before, but my goodness what a sense of satisfaction – let alone
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Warm welcome for first hungry foodies
STARTING UP Caroline Sweetman @ Wolvercote Supper Club I’ve lived all over the world, and munched my way through all the food offered to me. I love everything about cooking: the planning and creativity involved in putting a menu together, the sounds
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It’s cool for CATS as the carnival comes to town
BRASSY and bombastic, Cat Empire are the ultimate good time party band. Channelling jazz, funk, rock, ska, and Latin grooves, the Australian collective have one thing on their manifesto: to get people moving. It’s a sound which shouldn’t make
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Likely lad mixes art with reality in a bid to confuse
STRANGE objects have been popping up in the most unlikely places in Oxford. From a gnome in Frideswide Square, to a letter P at a bus stop in Kennington Road, there has been nothing to explain their presence, other than a small card with a description
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Jeweller Caroline launches gallery in store next door
Caroline Marcus has been working in the family jewellery business since she was “tall enough to stand behind the counter”, she says. As the fifth generation at Reginald Davis, she has now opened a new chapter in the business’ 80-year history of
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Unpleasant duties earn officers an extra bonus
ALMOST £130,000 has been paid out to Thames Valley Police officers and civilians since 2008 in “support bonuses” for tasks including dealing with dead bodies. The force spent the cash over five years from April 2008 to this April, figures revealed
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Fly-tipping incidents drop after £5,000 in fines are imposed
FLYTIPPING has gone down by nearly a third in West Oxfordshire and almost £5,000 of fines were given out. West Oxfordshire District Council is putting the drop down to its setting up of a team dedicated to cracking down on the problem in 2007.
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Bright addition to city’s skyline
A NEW addition to Oxford’s dreaming spires has received its crowning glory. An eye-catching copper dome was yesterday placed on top of a new clock tower at Harris Manchester College, in Mansfield Road. The 18-metre tower, which contains a new
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‘Traffic jams are the major threat to county economy’
THE biggest threat to the future of the Oxfordshire economy is transport. That is the key finding of a major new report which polled more than 120 county firms to gauge their views on how travel and transport affects their business and staff.
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College principal opens ‘liquid delicatessen’ Demijohn
A NEW “liquid delicatessen” has opened in Oxford. Demijohn sells more than 50 liqueurs, spirits, whiskies, oils and vinegars which are dispensed into re-useable bottles. The business, set up by former army officer Angus Ferguson, is now trading
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Ski holiday operator slid into his career by accident
Like many young people when it comes to leaving school and making the next step, Rupert Longsdon had no idea what he wanted to do. “I’d had no eureka moment, no childhood longing. “At school we are told to study various subjects so we can pass
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Enough Said (12A)
THREE AND A HALF STARS The sudden death of actor James Gandolfini in June, three days before he was due to be honoured at an Italian film festival, adds poignancy to Nicole Holofcener’s wonderful romantic comedy. Wearing his heart on his character
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Get into The Guide
Why Sean Hughes is a man on a mission Dancing with delight at the dragons’ den They may look like space cadets, but Temples have their feet on the ground Cat Empire love jazz, funk and Latin . . . but most of all to
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Dancing with delight at the dragons’ den
Let me make this straight, very straight – I LOVE the Dancing Dragon. Some people I know have a curious aversion to the restaurant. When I announced I was going to eat there recently, I was openly laughed at, mocked and told ‘be it on your
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Peace, love and instant karma – from Kettering
DABBLING in psychedelia, philosophy and Eastern religion, Temples tick all the boxes of the classic West Coast hippy band. Heck, they even take joss sticks on tour. But there is more to this four-piece than meets the eye. Far from repackaging the
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Catapulted to fame by chance audition
West Side Story is an all-singing, all-dancing musical classic heading to Oxford as we speak. And with it comes Katie Hall (aka Maria), who will lead us through the poignant story which is loosely based on Romeo and Juliet. And yet the 23-year-old
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Sean's bringing comedy home
Sean Hughes isn’t playing ball. He’s had enough of bite-sized routines and feels that comedy is being whittled down to TV friendly chunks which are slowly eroding its very fabric. Never one to hold back he prefers to swim against the tide with
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No sulks for French beans last summer
The one thing I have to do at this time of year is think about my vegetable seed order for next year, while everything is fresh in my mind. Many years ago I had to go for cheaper open-pollinated varieties and, although they gave me a crop, it was
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ROWING: Houghton takes a rare ducking
The Tideway has not been a happy place for local crews in the past week, writes Mike Rosewell. The Pairs Head, with an entry of 476 pairs and doubles last Sunday racing from Chiswick to Hammersmith, did not produce any overall division winners
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RACING: Mixed fortunes for Longsdon
Chipping Norton trainer Charlie Longsdon reflected on the ups and downs of National Hunt racing after his Huntingdon double on Tuesday was marred by the tragic loss of stable stalwart Strongbows Legend. The master of Hull Farm Stables continued
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Welcome return to the novels of a fine Oxford writer
"By noon the local papers had their posters on the streets — and in no other town would they have read as discreetly as they did: Sudden Death of the President of St Anthony’s. For in the papers themselves the fact was stated: Dr Umpleby had been shot
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The Narrows, Abingdon
The Narrows 25 High Street (former Post Office) Abingdon OX14 5AA 01235 467680 jdwetherspoon.co.uk While it will probably delight many to hear me say so — such a pleb! — I consider it no cause for shame to own that I am an admirer of
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Moments of magic alone with nature
By Philippa Lyons The first time I ventured out to a wildlife trust nature reserve I got mightily lost. I had only just returned to England after several years abroad, and was keen to rediscover the wild places of my childhood in Oxfordshire.
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Highlights for week beginning October 17
Fridays at 5pm TIM HARFORD IN THE UNDERCOVER ECONOMIST STRIKES BACK Oxford Playhouse Tomorrow (Friday) at 5pm n Box office: 01865 305305 www.oxfordplayhouse.com Tim Harford is the author of The Undercover Economist, presenter of BBC
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Out of the Shadows: Oxford Playhouse
FOUR STARS Nobulus is an Austrian company with an international cast of eight men and two women, directed by Alex Wengler — the man responsible for Out of the Shadows. It tells a cautionary tale, from the creation of the universe and the evolution
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Highlights for October 17
Oxford Lieder Festival FROZEN LANDSCAPES AND WINTER JOURNEYS Various venues n Friday, various times Tickets: 01865 305305 or www.ticketsoxford.com Two doomed Arctic expeditions were the inspiration for this day of events based on the
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Autumn shows at the Brian Sinfield Gallery, Burford
This autumn sees a characterist-ically exciting programme of exhibitions at the Brian Sinfield Gallery in Burford. “We were looking for a strong line-up of quality painters, making sure we had a good mix of work,” Brian Sinfield said. “It’s a very
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Captain Phillips (12A)
FIVE STARS Tom Hanks charts a steady course towards a deserved sixth Oscar nomination for his tour-de-force portrayal of an unlikely hero in Paul Greengrass’s nerve-racking thriller. Based on the book A Captain’s Duty by Richard Phillips and
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On the Horizon October 17
Theatre SWEENEY TODD: THE DEMON BARBER OF FLEET STREET Oxford Playhouse November 11-16 Box office: 01865 305305 or oxfordplayhouse.com Oxford Operatic Society returns to the Playhouse stage with one of Stephen Sondheim’s most critically
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Pianist, music teacher, charity worker and wife dies aged 89
AN “outstanding pianist and music teacher” from Wantage has died age 89. Edith Alice Marshall, who was born in 1924 in Walthamstow, East London, moved to Wantage in 1970 and taught piano there until the late 1990s. She earned a degree from
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A swine romance
It was award-winning organic farmer Helen Browning’s overwhelming desire to improve the welfare of livestock and maintain a landscape that supported and encouraged wildlife to flourish, that led her to farm organically. Animals have always been
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Arcadia: Oxford Playhouse
FOUR STARS The year is 1809, and teenager Thomasina Coverly is studying with her tutor Septimus Hodge at Sidley Park, an English country house. Thomasina is a brilliant mathematician, and has ideas well ahead of her time. But her lessons are
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Much Ado About Nothing: The Old Vic
TWO STARS While the Old Vic debuts of Vanessa Redgrave and James Earl Jones in Much Ado About Nothing are a theatrical event of some significance, their casting as sparring lovers Beatrice and Benedick must be judged an artistic error of considerably
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Preview of Oxford Theatre Guild's Measure for Measure
One recent RSC production of Measure for Measure set the play in a Viennese bondage club, complete with half-naked men straining at neck braces and ankle chains. In her new production for Oxford Theatre Guild, director Cate Field goes to the opposite
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Neighbours object to plans for more student homes
RESIDENTS have objected to a developer’s plans to build more student properties in West Oxford. Tariq Khuja has submitted a planning application to the city council to build nine student rooms next to Thames Wharf in Rodger Dudman Way. Mr Khuja
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‘Just say the lines and don’t trip over the furniture’: Lines from new book of quotations
THE fifth edition of the Oxford Dictionary of Humorous Quotations was published today. The compendium has been edited by former MP and panel show regular Gyles Brandreth and published by Oxford University Press. He helped to assemble 5,000
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Awards ceremony tonight for high achieving women
THEY have aimed to inspire others in the world of art or helped others in the local community. Now their efforts are being recognised after they were shortlisted in Sue Ryder’s Women of Achievement Awards. The winners are due to be announced
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Story Museum set to open a new chapter as work starts on building
IT HAS celebrated and captured the imagination of children since it was first proposed. And now, Oxford’s Story Museum is undergoing its very own transformation into the modern world. Earlier this year the Pembroke Street museum announced ambitious
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Hundreds of striking teachers march through city + Audio
UP to 500 teachers marched through the city centre today in protest at Government changes to the education system. More than half of the schools across Oxfordshire were closed, or partially closed, as teachers from the NUT and NASWUT went on strike
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Oxford hospitals mark play workers landmark with exhibition of photographs from Oxford Mail
MORE than 30 years ago, Oxford’s Radcliffe Infirmary employed its first play specialist. Since 1980, the team has grown to 18 full- and part-time play staff across the Oxford University Hospitals NHS Trust. They are helping to mark the 50th anniversary
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COMMENT: Help to honour the Fallen once again
WHILST it is, of course, tragically sad that another soldier has lost his life in Afghanistan, it is a little surprising to recall that this is the first fatality since May. For too long we had repatriation ceremonies seemingly every other week
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Police seek this man
The man pictured in this CCTV image is wanted by police over a series of shop thefts in Wallingford. More than £400 was stolen from tills at Champion and Co, Dexter’s Canine Emporium, and the Sue Ryder charity shop between 1.50pm and 2.20pm on
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Trial for soldier over major’s crash death
A soldier is due to stand trial today accused of killing an army major in a car crash. Netani Kepa, 38, is accused of causing the death by dangerous driving of dad-of-one Major Christian Wheddon, 43, on the A34 near Abingdon in September last year
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Grandmother who ‘recycles everything’ wins prize
A PASSION for recycling has paid off for a Witney grandmother who has won a countywide competition. Maureen McBain has become the latest winner of the Oxfordshire Waste Partnership’s recycling pledge contest. Mrs McBain won the top prize –
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RUGBY UNION: Seven-try Banbury show their mettle to defeat Grove
BANBURY Under 17s bounced back with a 41-12 home victory over Grove. Having lost 32-17 to Amersham & Chiltern in their OBB League opener, this friendly win was a real boost. Tom Arnold, Barney Gailiffe, Will Hardy, Rhys Andrews, Charlie
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BAR BILLIARDS: Kennington clinch Oxon crown
KENNINGTON Club will represent Oxfordshire at the National Team Championships in Reading this weekend, writes PETE EWINS. They won the county final with a 4-1 win against Vikings Club at the Lamb & Flag. Kevin Godfrey (9,420) took the first
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ICE HOCKEY: Stars stay in charge
OXFORD City Stars remain four points clear in English National League South Division 2. The leaders were not in action last weekend, but their nearest challengers, Chelmsford Warriors, lost 5-3 against Swindon Wildcats 2nd.
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ATHLETICS: Cross country league confirm it’s seven-up for new season
OXFORD Mail Cross Country League organiser Luke McNeill confirmed that no children under the age of seven can enter this year’s event. The new season, which starts at Ascott-under-Wychwood on Sunday, November 3, will see a new event named ‘race
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DUATHLON: Harris ends campaign on a high
OXFORD’S Charlotte Harris completed her season by winning the sprint race at the Devil’s Duathlon in Mortimer, Berkshire. Harris, who now plans to step up to triathlon and potentially turn professional, was happy with her performance in the run-bike-run
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ATHLETICS: Welby rewarded for hard work
ORLA Welby was presented with her South East Regional Volunteer of the Year certificate at Bicester AC’s awards night. A long-standing member, Welby was honoured by England Athletics for her coaching and support at the club and local schools.
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ATHLETICS: Results round-up
(senior men unless stated) HENLEY HALF MARATHON Didcot Runners: J Shand (LV45) 1.57.56. White Horse Harriers: P Jegou 1.20.03, C Hazell (LV40) 1.45.32, J McCabe (LV40) 2.08.22. SWINDON HALF MARATHON Eynsham RR: M Johnson (V50) 1.54.56
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Online businesses test out the high street with pop-up shops
TWO brands are hoping to get their names well known in Didcot with a pop-up shop. Kuda and Pip & Pantalaimon have been given a temporary home by South Oxfordshire District Council at the shop in Broadway. The store, which houses both brands
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FOOTBALL: Jackson sinks Millers
A HAT-TRICK from Swindon Supermarine’s Kayden Jackson spelt an early exit from the Calor League’s Red Insure Cup for North Leigh last night. The striker struck in the 19th, 62nd and 82nd minutes to seal the first-round tie. The visitors, who
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COMMENT: Boatyard is in need of some new life after its idle years
IT may not please the Jericho Wharf Trust, but we hope that the restoration of the Castle Mill boatyard to some form of use is not too far off. Today we report how a deal is close for Strategic Iconic Assets Heritage Acquisition Fund to buy the
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Sample 140 real ales
The Campaign for Real Ale’s annual beer festival will open its doors today. The three-day event at Oxford Town Hall will see 140 real ales and more than 50 ciders and perrys on sale. Entry costs £2 and includes a free commemorative glass. The
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Scrap metal case will run in to November
Jurors in the trial of metal merchants were yesterday told the case will run in to next month. Five workers at TR Rogers & Sons are accused of accepting metal from undercover police posing as thieves. Judge Ian Pringle told the Oxford Crown
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Jericho boatyard is set to be sold to development group
A DEAL could soon be struck over the ownership of the derelict Jericho boatyard. Despite attempts by the Jericho community to buy the site, administrators are understood to be on the brink of selling it to a development company. This would
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Asian jewellery taken
Asian jewellery has been stolen from a home in Wolvercote. The crime happened in Woodstock Road on Tuesday between 10.50am and 1.50pm. Police said the thief forced open a window lock to raid the house. Anyone with information should call
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Two arrested over pub fight
TWO men have been arrested after a fight in a Wetherspoon pub in Witney. The fight broke out in the Company of Weavers, in Market Square, at about 11.25pm on Saturday. A 21-year-old man was treated for minor injuries at Oxford’s John Radcliffe
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Lover denies helping to cover up a murder
A 73-YEAR-OLD woman besotted with a man accused of murdering a millionairess told a jury he was “good company”, a court heard. However, Jennifer Creasey added that her married lover “didn’t always walk the straight and narrow”. Creasey, of
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Arrest after mugging
A 20-year-old has been arrested after a 22-year-old man was mugged in an alleyway off Iffley Road, Oxford. The victim was attacked by two men who stole his bag on Tuesday at about 12.15pm. The suspect, from Oxford, has been released on bail until
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Crews contain blaze
Firefighters in South Oxfrodshire who tackled a major fire in a thatched cottage were able to prevent the blaze spreading to the roof and next door homes. The fire broke out in Cuxham, near Watlington, at about 6.10pm on Tuesday. Seven fire
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Family will meet PM over Down’s eviction
A man with Down’s Syndrome reportedly facing eviction will tomorrow meet Prime Minister and Witney MP David Cameron. Almost 90,000 people have now signed an online petition because James Sleight, 25, is facing eviction from his home owing to what
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More disruption as posties and dons plan action
STRIKES will affect further establishments across the county as university staff and postal workers threaten to hold days of action. Yesterday, staff at both Oxford University and Oxford Brookes University revealed they were set to strike on Thursday
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Majority of schools affected as teachers stage strike day
MORE than half of all schools will be closed or partially shut today as thousands of teachers across the county go on strike. Teachers defended their decision to strike over changes to their pay, pensions and working conditions. But thousands
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ATHLETICS: McBain claims hat-trick
ALCHESTER’S Jenny McBain had a day to remember at the Daventry 10 where she bagged a hat-trick of successes. McBain was the first lady home, broke the course record and set a new Alchester vet 35 mark in the process. She completed the ten-mile
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ATHLETICS: Veterans put youngsters in their place
OXFORD City’s veterans upstaged their younger teammates in the English Road Relay Championships at Sutton Park, Birmingham. City’s men finished 60th out of 78 teams, having qualified for the high-level event after a long absence. But it was
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CRICKET: Taylor focused on making impact in first-class game
Matt Taylor is determined to build on a promising season that culminated in his first-class debut for Gloucestershire. The 19-year-old left-arm seamer, from Great Tew, has made steady progress since signing a full-time contract with the county
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BOWLS: Oxon open account in local derby
Oxfordshire IBA recorded their first win of the season with a 126-101 victory over Berkshire in a friendly at Oxford & District. Oxon won on three of the six rinks and drew on another, with skip Mike Ford’s 35-11 victory leading the way.
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Bonus after 25 years of service seems unfair
SO – £119,243 bonus payments to be divided between eight directors at Oxford University Hospitals – a rise of 61 per cent. No doubt this is happening nationwide. My friend, a highly skilled nurse with huge responsibility also received a bonus payment
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COUNCIL CUTS: We will do our best in this almost impossible situation
AS an Independent councillor, I’m often asked why I got into local politics. The answer, for me, is simple, writes county councillor Lynda Atkins I found myself one day a few years ago thinking ‘they should be doing something about that…’.
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Land must be used for community’s recreation
SO now we know the much needed Environmental Impact Assessment, which could have helped stop the demolition of Oxford Stadium has been rejected. In truth, did any of us ever believe that this Government’s Communities Secretary, Eric Pickles, would
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Representatives need to fight for us on the issues that matter to all
HAVING attended the public meeting on county cuts on October 15, it is clear that the county are resigned to their fate of having to find a further £61m of cuts over the next four years. Yet at the same time the chief executive said “hand on heart”
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Soldier’s repatriation set for good public support
THE Royal British Legion in Oxfordshire is making preparations for the repatriation of the latest British soldier to die in Afghanistan. Lance Corporal James Brynin, from 14 Signal Regiment, was killed in Helmand Province on Tuesday and his repatriation
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RUGBY UNION: Hudson hails comeback
JONATHAN Hudson said belief was the key to Oxford University’s comeback against Newport Gwent Dragons. And the fly half, who captained Oxford in their 20-18 defeat at Iffley Road, wants the Dark Blues to take encouragement from their performance
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RUGBY UNION: Johnson handed England recall
FORMER Chinnor flanker Tom Johnson was yesterday recalled to the England squad for the QBE Autumn Internationals. The Exeter Chiefs man, who also played for Oxfordshire and Oxford Brookes University, replaces injured Leicester back-rower Tom Croft
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LEGAL CHALLENGE: Property is prime target for money laundering tricks
Money laundering is legally defined as the process by which the true ownership of the proceeds of crime are changed so that they appear to come from a legitimate source. There are three phases to money laundering. The first is ‘placement’, where
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ATHLETICS: Blatchford to fly the flag in Brazil
NOEL Blatchford will be Great Britain’s only woman competing at the World Masters Athletics Championships in Brazil. The Abingdon AC race-walk specialist joins five men in Britain’s team for the event in Porto Alegre. Blatchford, 65, competes
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AUNT SALLY: Adams sets sights on title record
Phil Adams bids to extend his own record to 12 singles titles when the Greene King Oxford & District League finals night takes place at Oxford Sports & Social Club, Roman Way, tomorrow. Adams, who beat Andy Beal 2-1 in the semi-finals,
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RACING Grandads delight
Grandads Horse (2-1 favourite) ensured Chipping Norton trainer Charlie Longsdon and jockey Noel Fehily’s bandwagon rolled on by landing the feature Bobby Renton Handicap Chase at Wetherby yesterday.
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Directors should give the money to workers
I HAVE to agree with Adrian Taylor (October 10) with regards to the decision to award the Oxford University Hospitals NHS Trust directors with massive bonuses as scandalous. I too spent a few days in hospital a year ago, and found the staff worked
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Professor Sullivan was all a scholar should be
THE appreciation of the life and work of Professor Michael Sullivan, pictured, (October 10) is most welcome, not least because the Research Excellence Framework, due to publish its judgements next year, would almost certainly fail to value the breadth
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Boosting skills now will pay off in the future
THE Government’s Help to Buy scheme is certainly welcome news for the construction industry and for the local area. We hope that the roll-out of the scheme will help to increase demand for new homes in Oxford. However, we also need to ensure we
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We need to bring back road safety officers
It is time to bring back the effective road safety police officers. It appears that the Thames Valley Police campaign Operation Bike (October 12, above) will be ineffective, issuing tickets to cyclists who openly admit they don’t know the basic
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All wired up
He is more familiar to Oxford City fans as a creative spark in midfield, generating goalscoring opportunities for himself and the team. But now Darren Pond has kicked off in a new game — as a self-employed electrician. Mr Pond, 26, has started
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Man charged with shoplifting from Debenhams
A 54-year-old man has been accused of stealing two vacuum cleaners from Debenhams in Oxford. Eamonn Anderson, of Salter Close, has been charged with shoplifting after the theft at the Magdalen Street store on Saturday, October 5. He has been
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Literary life
To authors, a literary agent is many things — adviser on narrative, writing technique and plot, a shoulder to cry on, but above all someone who brings in a living wage. Oxford professor Diarmaid MacCulloch, who found himself a TV star thanks to
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Drugs raid on Station Barber in Frideswide Square
TWO men are in police custody following a drugs raid in Frideswide Square this morning. Police were this morning seen outside Station Barber and the newsagents next door in Park End Street. A 32-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of
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Major delays after crash on A34
A CRASH on the A34 is causing major traffic delays in Oxfordshire this morning. The A34 northbound near the Chilton Interchange has been closed off completely and one lane of the southbound carriageway has also been shut off after a car transporter
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World Cup adventure will be absolutely Brazil-liant
HERE we go again then.Another summer spent biting down fingernails, hiding behind the sofa and praying that Steven Gerrard stays fit lie in wait after England booked their place at the World Cup in Brazil next year. Pub owners say they will benefit
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Magdalen College student dies of head injuries after fall
A TALENTED student died in hospital with head injuries seven days after he fell at his Oxford University college. Conor Robinson, 21, was found at Magdalen College last Tuesday night and taken to the John Radcliffe Hospital, where he died a week
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Number on dole in county falls for a seventh month
The number of people signing on the dole in Oxfordshire has fallen for the seventh successive month. Latest figures from the Office of National Statistics show 5,498 people were claiming Jobseeker’s Allowance in September, a drop of 253 on the
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Child sex suspect to face four new allegations
A CHILD sex suspect is now facing more accusations he abused underage girls. Shah-Nawaz Khan, 23, last month denied four counts of sexual activity with a child at Oxford Crown Court. The crimes are alleged to have happened between September
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Global growth fuels expansion
A FAMILY-RUN electronic components distributor is expanding after experiencing major growth across the world. Toby Electronics based in Banbury has built a 15,000 sq ft extension to its warehouse in Beaumont Road and taking on five new members
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Shutting the stable door
You will have heard the one about the man who walks into a branch of Barclays Bank and says “I am an IT engineer”? The bank welcomes him in and he takes £1.3m. I’m sure no-one at the bank thought it was funny, but before the rest of us laugh at
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Defence of pessimism
Have you ever noticed how annual reports so often refer to ‘issues’ instead of ‘problems’? This infuriating substitution was brought to mind recently while I was reading how Ana Botin had berated Britons for their “glass half-empty” view of life in
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From Russia with TRIZ
When the Berlin Wall came down in 1989, people flooded from East to West, but ideas mainly travelled in the opposite direction, with the spread of market economics into the former Communist bloc. But some ideas did gravitate from East to West,
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Showcase for art
Caroline Marcus has been working in the family jewellery business “since I was tall enough to stand behind the counter”, she says. As the fifth generation at Reginald Davis, she has now spearheaded a new chapter in the business's 80-year history
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Making a fresh start
Finding himself unemployed was the catalyst for Stuart Waddington to launch his own social enterprise to help other jobless people. The former charity worker is the inspiration behind Equip, a not-for-profit company offering paid work experience in
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The next generation
Do people invest in energy saving devices, such as solar panels, to save themselves money in the long run, or are they primarily motivated by 'doing the right thing' by the planet and by future generations? That was the question I found myself
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Hospice seaches for volunteers
Sobell House is a hospice providing expert care and support to those suffering with advanced, progressive or life-limiting illnesses, and to their families. Sobell House’s ethos is that it commits to listen and work in partnership with each patient
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'I will break law to tackle my MS'
A MULTIPLE sclerosis sufferer has vowed to buy cannabis from street dealers after police took action against her for growing it at home. Michelle X, who changed her surname after her husband left her, says smoking cannabis allows her to cope with
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RUGBY UNION: Exiles' coach Burnell back at old stomping ground
JUSTIN Burnell can look forward to a real homecoming when he takes London Welsh to Pontypridd in the British & Irish Cup on Saturday. The Exiles’ head coach actually lives in the town and has long-standing connections with the club. So
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Accelerating the growth
Science Minister David Willetts recently visited Oxford to launch a major report recommending actions are taken to accelerate the growth of Oxfordshire’s high-tech business cluster. Entitled The Oxfordshire Innovation Engine – Realising the Growth
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Supercar reinvented
The Porsche 911 has been an aspirational sports car for exactly 50 years, since it was launched at the Frankfurt Motor Show in 1963. But for some reason it has not been regularly regarded as supercar material. That may be about to change. Turbocharged
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Hair style counsellor
Russell-John Barker, business/operations director of Mahogany Hairdressing, Oxford, answers our questions What was your first job and what did your responsibilities include? I started out as an apprentice hairdresser in a salon in Manchester
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Celebration of life
For many people the idea of running a funeral parlour would not be high on the list of business ideas. But for Lucy Jane it is a dream come true. The 31-year-old has just opened The Individual Funeral Company in Rose Hill, Oxford, forming only
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Small screen success
The way we watch television is changing dramatically. A generation ago there were just three channels watched on a wooden-cased set controlled manually with dials. Now there are hundreds of channels, programmes can be recorded, downloaded and watched
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Career cast in stone
Company histories can be clouded by the passage of time and changes of ownership. In fact it was only when a client suggested she did some research on the business that the management of Abingdon Stone and Marble discovered it was far older than originally
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Value for money case, £66
Modern winemaking techniques mean that it’s not difficult to make highly fruitful and drinkable wines for less money than in the past (despite the effects of multiple duty increases and increased transport costs!) and undrinkable wines are a thing
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Shock result at first match of season
The first Witney Weekend Congress takes place this weekend at Cokethorpe School. There are four sections and sizeable cash prizes in each section to give players of all standards something extra to play for. Details of the congress are to be found
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Scaled back
Nobody can accuse Science Oxford of not taking seriously criticisms of its £35m Science Discovery and Innovation Centre from heritage groups and others. Faced with calls to ensure that Oxford’s historic Castle Mound must not be hidden by the proposed
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Hopes sunk
The Jericho Wharf Trust had spared no effort to try to purchase the derelict Jericho boatyard and secure it for the community. Having submitted a bid, the trust must be bitterly disappointed by the news that the site may in fact be purchased by
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Parky at the Pictures (In Cinemas 17/10/2013)
French cinema has always been the bedrock of the European slate at the BFI London Film Festival and four unmissable features form the core at the 57th edition. Having sparked controversy with its graphic scenes of lesbian love-making in winning the
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River crossing plans
Oxfordshire County Council is proposing to add a public footpath across the River Thame, from Cuddesdon and Denton on the western bank of the river. It will run for nine metres to link up with a footpath near Little Milton. To comment visit
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Monkey van can cook
A bid to sell fried food from a van in Oxford's Broad Street has been approved after promises of fresh ingredients and recyclable packaging were made. Timothy Chapple and Matthew Barlow have had their application for street trading consent for
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Credit unions get the blessing of Bishop
The Bishop of Oxford is today pledging his support for credit unions. The Rt Rev John Pritchard will join the awareness-raising campaign on International Credit Union Day today. He will be at Oxford Credit Union in Oxford Road, Cowley, at 10.30am
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Greens’ idea to cut cars on Barton branded ‘ludicrous’
A CALL for parts of the planned Barton West development in Oxford to be made car-free has been labelled ludicrous. County council Green group leader David Williams has called for the 885-home new estate to be built with fewer residential parking
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Girls’ fancy dress walk
GIRLS from Headington School dressed in outfits ranging from medieval times to modern day as part of a charity walk for Third World children’s charity Plan UK. About 800 pupils took part in the one-mile walk on Friday, which also coincided with
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Campaigners warn public about child sex exploitation
CITY centre shoppers are to be confronted with the spectre of child sex exploitation tomorrow. Street performers will be act and dance to demonstrate the pain human trafficking causes. The event has been organised by Oxford Community Against Trafficking
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Banking on Banbury
A new bank has come to Banbury. Handelsbanken has set up in the Banbury Office Village in Noral Way, adding to its existing base in Oxford. Branch manager Paul Graham said: “We are delighted to be in Banbury and look forward to developing successful