AS the glorious May sunshine gave way to grey clouds over Oxford this week, another bit of colour in the city was painted over.

At the corner of New Road where there was previously a bright rainbow-coloured crossing painted to celebrate Oxford Pride last year, contractors for the Westgate Centre laid a new monochrome crossing yesterday afternoon.

Oxford Mail:

It just happened to be the week after this year's Oxford Pride parade should have taken place – but couldn't due to lockdown – and also as the sunniest month in Oxford's history gave way to a gloomy June.

Read also: May was sunniest month in Oxford's history

Oxfordshire County Council, the highways authority, explained that the job was 'remedial work' being carried out by contractors on behalf of the Westgate development.

The council explained that: "The Pride colours were not renewed this year as we knew that they would only be down a few days," but they added hopefully: "We hope to reinstate them ourselves at a later date.”

The actual work was done by Laing O'Rourke, while Oxford City Council's contracting company, Oxford Direct Service, help manage traffic.

Although Oxford Pride parade could not go ahead this year, the organisers held a week of fun events online, and also organise events year-round. See oxford-pride.org.uk