FOR a second day in a row yesterday, the American company that owns the Radcliffe Hotel said nothing about the fact that it is planning to lay off most of its staff.

Well, it said nothing publicly: however, when the Oxford Mail tried to speak to employees yesterday, some of whom had told us they were keen to talk about the news, they were suddenly reticent, leading us to wonder whether they had been gagged by their management, or just decided to stay silent.

It would make sense: given most of them are about to lose their jobs, but have had the prospect of possibly being re-hired after the closure dangled in front of them, many have probably decided that speaking out about their treatment would put them on some kind of black list that might stop them getting a new job in future.

Oxford MP Anneliese Dodds, also now the Shadow Chancellor, was eminently tactful when she said she would 'encourage workers to reach out to local advice centres' or her office if they were seeking support.

We at the Oxford Mail do not have Ms Dodds' tact. Instead, for a second day, we urge the managers of the Randolph Hotel and its US owners to face the public about their decision and the reasons behind it.