Archive

  • Stagecoach puts up its fares

    Stagecoach is raising its fares by an average 6.5 per cent amid soaring diesel costs, in a move matching the Oxford Bus Company. The bus company announced the rise would apply to services throughout Oxfordshire. Most singles will rise by 10p to 20p

  • Pet rescue proves a prickly task

    Ten firefighters had an unusual rescue today after a dog got himself in a prickly predicament. Two fire engine crews were called to delicately extract Major, a three-year-old wire hair dachshund, after he became trapped under a neighbour's shed - with

  • Drivers escape parking ticket blues

    A legal loophole which stopped drivers getting parking tickets in an Oxford street has prompted a complaint from residents. Philip Guy Davis, of Walton Street, said he could no longer park his vintage Mercedes near his home because bays were always

  • 20mph limit plan moves forward

    Campaigners today welcomed plans to introduce 20mph limits on residential roads across Oxford. Ian Hudspeth, the county council's cabinet member for transport, approved a report which proposes consulting residents on the new limits, which are likely

  • Monumental find in college grounds

    Archaeologists excavating a mass grave in the grounds of an Oxford college uncovered what could be a monument dating back 5,000 years. The team unearthed between 30 and 40 bodies in the grounds of St John's College, Blackhall Road, in March and returned

  • Towpath repairs 'are a washout'

    A community has called for the removal of an experimental £60,000 anti-erosion barrier which they claim has left the Thames towpath dangerously narrow. Residents in Abbey Road have made their own repairs of the river bank, which has crumbled away by

  • Monumental find

    Archaeologists excavating a mass grave in the grounds of an Oxford college uncovered what could be a monument dating back 5,000 years. The team unearthed between 30 and 40 bodies in the grounds of St John's College, Blackhall Road, in March and returned

  • 'Housing costs prompted move'

    Claims that high house prices in Oxford were behind Royal Mail's decision to close the city's main sorting office and relocate to Swindon have been dismissed. Royal Mail announced last year plans to shut down operations in both Oxford and Reading and

  • 20mph limit plan moves ahead

    Campaigners today welcomed plans to introduce 20mph limits on residential roads across Oxford. Ian Hudspeth, the county council's cabinet member for transport, approved a report which proposes consulting residents on the new limits, which are likely

  • Pet rescue proves a prickly job

    Ten firefighters had an unusual rescue today after a dog got himself in a prickly predicament. Two fire engine crews were called to delicately extract Major, a three-year-old wire hair dachshund, after he became trapped under a neighbour's shed - with

  • Little support for Lidl store

    Supermarket chain Lidl's plan for a store in the town faces rejection by councillors. An application to build a 1,000sq m store next to McDonald's, in Ducklington Lane, comes before West Oxfordshire District Council's lowlands planning sub-committee

  • TA Afghan veteran meets Premier

    THE Territorial Army has taken Carl Alford to two of the world's war zones. But on Wednesday the young soldier had a different kind of duty - visiting 10 Downing Street for a celebration of the TA's 100th anniversary. Rifleman Alford, from North Way

  • CRICKET: Oxon go for youth

    Oxfordshire will have a more youthful look when they face Shropshire in the Minor Counties Championship Western Division at Whitchurch starting on Sunday. That is the view of captain Ian Hawtin, who is the team's elder statesman at 41. Oxon's team

  • Stab murder case delayed

    A man killed a father-of-two by stabbing him in the neck with a 6in filleting knife outside an Oxford pub, a court heard, today. Christopher Philp, 26, who has admitted killing former soldier Stephen Pinker, from Witney, was warned he faced life imprisonment

  • Jobs threat at Ashmolean

    JOBS at the Ashmolean Museum, Oxford, are under threat following news that the museum is to close next year for building work. Staff were warned they could face redundancy as a result of the decision to shut the museum from January, while the a £61m

  • TENNIS: Love and Hartwich hold their nerve for City

    Oxford City endured a nervous final match before edging to a 5-4 victory over North Oxford B in Ladies Division 1 of the 3-Pair League. Amazingly, North Oxford, who have lost every match this season, were level at 3-3 going into the final round of matches

  • Village party recalls floods

    Clanfield, which was virtually cut off for three days in last summer's floods, is holding a party to commemorate the event. The Clanfield Tavern is hosting the first anniversary Flood Party on Saturday, with a beer festival, pig roast and entertainment

  • CRICKET: Shirazi joins Banbury

    Home Counties Premier League Banbury have secured the signing of Wiltshire's opening batsman, Damien Shirazi. Shirazi, who will join Abingdon School as director of cricket in September, is set for his Banbury debut in tomorrow's Division 1 trip to

  • Stadium could house biker test centre

    Oxford United's car park could double-up as a motorcycle test centre if plans are given the go-ahead. Following an announcement in April that test centres in Banbury and Oxford are to close, the Driving Standards Agency said it had been unable to find

  • TENNIS: North Oxford host Group 2

    North Oxford will be hosting Group 2 tennis next week. Previously, Group 3 is the highest level to be played on the club's grass courts, but they will break new ground this week with Leicestershire, Essex, Middlesex, Sussex, Hampshire & IOW and Cheshire

  • TENNIS: Oxon men on a mission

    Oxfordshire's men will try to put last year's embarrassment behind them in Group 7 at Beckenham. But they must also do so with an under-strength side. After winning their first four matches last year, Oxon were adamant they had won promotion and celebrated

  • My History

    Hello Well my name is Dawn Hillier and I am 26 years old. My life has been quite a rollercoaster of emotions!! At the age of 16 was when things went wrong for me. I decided to go on the depo injection which I thought was great!! No periods for

  • TENNIS: All change for county women

    It's all-change for women's tennis in Oxford- shire. Nearly all of the well-known names who have steered the county to Group 1 twice in the last eight years have moved aside to let the rising stars step into the limelight. And although it will mean

  • Bus crashes into scaffolding

    Police were called after a bus crashed into scaffolding in Oxford city centre this afternoon. Police spokesman Vicky Brandon said officers were called to the scene outside the New Theatre in George Street at about 2pm but no one was injured. She added

  • FOOTBALL: Didcot boss Peace lands striker Roach

    Didcot Town have signed former Oxford United striker Neville Roach from British Gas Business Southern League rivals Uxbridge. Reading-born Roach, 29, will link up with Michael Bartley for their forthcoming Division 1 South & West campaign. Boss Stuart

  • WEEKEND FIXTURES JULY 19/20

    SATURDAY CRICKET HOME COUNTIES PREMIER LEAGUE Div 1: Oxford v Reading, Falkland v Banbury. Div 2 West: Thame Town v Gerrards Cross, Finchampstead v Kidlington. THE OXFORD TIMES CHERWELL LEAGUE Div 1: Banbury 2nd v Banbury XX, Great Tew v Bicester

  • 'Towpath repairs are a washout'

    A community has called for the removal of an experimental £60,000 anti-erosion barrier which they claim has left the Thames towpath dangerously narrow. Residents in Abbey Road have made their own repairs of the river bank, which has crumbled away by

  • No parking bay blues

    A legal loophole which stopped drivers getting parking tickets in an Oxford street has prompted a complaint from residents. Philip Guy Davis, of Walton Street, said he could no longer park his vintage Mercedes near his home because bays were always

  • RUGBY LEAGUE: Cavaliers aiming to rack up the points

    Oxford Cavaliers will be looking to strengthen their play-off push when they visit bottom club Swindon St George in the RL Conference South West and Midlands division tomorrow. After last week's stunning late win against Coventry, Cavaliers should have

  • Fun day takes on circus theme

    West Oxford will become a circus this weekend as Fun Day organisers bring all the thrills and spills of the big top to Botley Park. The popular outdoor festival has chosen a circus theme for 2008 and organisers are keeping their fingers crossed - as

  • RUGBY UNION: Oxon stalwart Smith dies

    John Smith, a long-serving stalwart of Oxfordshire rugby, has died aged 75. Smith's was a loyal and hard-working supporter of the game over three lengthy periods, and his contribution will be much missed by both his club, Banbury and the county. On

  • A bright way to raise cash

    Sporty girls brought fancy dress to the streets of Bicester to help disaster relief. The team from the town's community college group, Girls For Sport, raised money for the Burma Cyclone disaster fund in a 10km sponsored walk last Saturday The event

  • Writers to join week of reading

    Witney's first book festival has been announced, with a line-up of up-and-coming authors and established local writers. It is being staged by the town's branch of Waterstones, in Market Square, and runs from September 1 to 6. Writers already signed

  • Party in the streets

    An area of East Oxford is set to clear its streets - so members of the community can sit down for a meal together. Up to 150 people in the Divinity Road area are set to descend on Warneford Road for its annual meal in the street tomorrow. It is one

  • RUGBY UNION: Davies moves back to Hawks

    Welsh winger Pete Davies is looking forward to a new challenge after leaving Oxford Harlequins to rejoin Henley Hawks. Davies, 32, was at Henley from 1998 to 2005 as they climbed the leagues to reach National 1 and is relishing the chance to help halt

  • Local share prices

    17/07/2008 pm AEA Technology 51.5 BMW 2359 Electrocomponents 151.5 Nationwide Accident Repair 113 Oxford Biomedica 7.5 Oxford Catalyst 163.5 Oxford Instruments 213 REED 547.75 RM 181.75 RPS Group 295

  • Docs declare germ warfare

    An innovative scheme to give germs like MRSA and clostridium difficile "barcodes" to try to track the sources of infection is being piloted at Oxford's John Radcliffe Hospital. A consortium of doctors and health professionals, led by the John Radcliffe's

  • Go mad at WOMAD

    THE CREAM of world music descends on an unlikely corner of Wiltshire this month, for one of the loveliest festivals of the summer. From July 25 to 27 the scenic grounds of Charlton Park, Malmesbury, will be transformed into a global village of music

  • Shop stalwart dies

    Witney's longest serving shopkeeper, Elvira Delnevo, has died. She ran the drapers shop at 36 High Street for the past 58 years, but had previously been in business with a children's clothes shop in Bridge Street after training as an apprentice at the

  • Diary for July, August and September

    To have your event featured in this column, send brief details and a contact name and telephone number to Diary, In Business, Newsquest, Newspaper House, Osney Mead, Oxford OX2 0EJ or e-mail business@nqo.com To be included in the Business Link event

  • Legal eagles

    OXFORD: Anthony Hulse, right, has qualified to become a member of law firm Manches' corporate team. Mr Hulse carries out a variety of work in corporate finance and corporate governance, including acquisitions, disposals and private equity transactions

  • Legal eagles

    OXFORD: Anthony Hulse has qualified to become a member of law firm Manches' corporate team. Mr Hulse carries out a variety of work in corporate finance and corporate governance, including acquisitions, disposals and private equity transactions. He is

  • Two prizes

    BICESTER: Fruit and vegetable wholesaler Fresh Direct has won two awards at the industry's re:fresh awards. It picked up the Trader of the Year title and the Foodservice Supplier of the Year award. Managing director, David Burns, said: "It has been a

  • Tough walk

    WALLINGFORD: Lawyer Nikki Poole donned a sequinned bra and pink tutu to take part in a marathon night-long walk to raise money for breast cancer research. Ms Poole, 40, a senior partner at Hedges Solicitors in Wallingford, joined 17,000 women, and some

  • Movers and shakers

    Work has started on the first phase of one of the biggest industrial property developments in Oxford for more than a decade in a move which will create scores of jobs. Network Oxford will cover seven acres in Sandy Lane West, Cowley, and will involve

  • Network grows

    Work has started on the first phase of one of the biggest industrial property developments in Oxford for more than a decade in a move which will create scores of jobs. Network Oxford will cover seven acres in Sandy Lane West, Cowley, and will involve

  • Power move

    Power staff from Oxford have moved into a brand new, purpose-built depot as part of a multi-million pound plan to upgrade Southern Electric Power Distribution's presence in the city - and its local electricity network. The £4m building at Yarnton now

  • Industrial units

    The last small industrial scheme on the 40-acre Bicester Distribution Park has come on to the market. Equity Estates has built about 50,000 sq ft of industrial accommodation in 14 units ranging in size from 2,760 sq ft. The buildings all have an internal

  • What credit crunch?

    Concerns about the effect of the credit crunch on the commercial property market are being dismissed - at least in Witney. Demand for space is high in the expanding town with the Marriotts Close development creating 100,000 sq ft of retail and restaurant

  • Kitchen move

    Kitchen specialist John Lewis of Hungerford has opened a new branch in Summertown, Oxford. The new showroom - the tenth in the expanding chain - marks a different direction for the company with visitors to the store on South Parade able to see new and

  • Passat pleasure

    By Ian Dooley It's tough in the company car market these days. If you're not being told to downsize for the greater good of the company, you're on the receiving end of some seriously wallet-harming taxes. And whatever you do, don't mention the price

  • Snow hints at Uni-fication

    THE idea of Oxford's two universities joining forces to form a giant new seat of learning has been floated by Jon Snow, the retiring Chancellor of Oxford Brookes University.o The celebrated broadcaster said he believed there could be "a fusion" of Brooks

  • 'Slealth' virus offers hope

    Most biotechnology companies will proudly tell you how much venture capital they have raised but management at Hybrid Systems will proudly tell you they have not raised any. Chief executive Dr Kerry Fisher explained: "When we started out, we were acutely

  • Fuel on the hill

    Two generations ago, our grandparents would have relished a simple trip to the seaside in a car, Today, many of us have grown used to taking short-haul breaks several times a year. Social commentators believe our increasing propensity to hop on a plane

  • Pubs on your mobile

    Does your mobile phone know where you are? If so, you can say goodbye to motorway service stations. Many people love them, but what happens if you prefer to break your journey at a country pub? Even if you happen to have a pub guide in the glovebox, you

  • No queuing

    Clearly the credit crunch is biting as I have been able to walk into The Trout without booking. Now I will remove my tongue from my cheek. The Trout is as busy as it ever was - it is just that we managed to get there early one Thursday lunchtime and I

  • Seeds of plenty

    This year, the world food crisis has been in the headlines, but for millions of farmers in developing countries, food shortages are nothing new. Every year they struggle to grow enough to feed their families and obtain income for basic necessities. An

  • On top of the world

    Knowledge is power - so said Sir Francis Bacon - and his assertion is just as true today as in the 16th century. In fact, some knowledge is so powerful that it can be sold in the form of intelligence and such a practice forms the basis of Oxford Analytica

  • Changing colour

    Blue flax and linseed, yellow oilseed rape and sunflowers, purple lavender, not to mention vines hung with red grapes. The Oxfordshire summer countryside is changing colour. These days the landscape shouts out that the message from the National Farmers

  • Crystal-ball gazing

    Is Oxfordshire in an economic bubble' which will allow it to escape the worst of the credit crunch? That was the question posed to local business people in a round-table discusssion following the publication of the Oxfordshire Business Confidence Index

  • Women-only gym

    A former shop manager was so impressed with her gym that she has dropped her career to take on the mantle. Tracey Gilbert has just invested £35,000 in Gymophobics, a women-only gym in Banbury's Bridge Street. Originally from the West Midlands, Mrs Gilbert

  • Business in Bloom

    Mother-of-twins Ruth Peters is nearly a year into her new business of selling organic maternity and nursing wear. With eco-conscious parents striving to limit their babies' exposure to unnecessary chemicals, organic children's clothing is growing in popularity

  • Cornbury Festival @ Charlbury

    Polite, friendly and civilised, Cornbury's has portrayed itself as a fine weekend in the country - with bands. But while it is well mannered, it is also a highly respected festival offering not just big-hitting mass market favourites, but some surprisingly

  • Restoring the Regal

    Adam Marsh, managing director of Solarview, which has transformed the Regal in Cowley Road into a music venue, answers our questions about his career. What was your first job and what did your responsibilities include? I was a paper boy, then I worked

  • Tasty ideas

    School dinners have come a long way since the days of overcooked cabbage and soggy semolina, and thanks to Jamie Oliver's healthy eating revolution you will be hard pressed to find a turkey twizzler on today's menus either. At Dr Radcliffe's Primary

  • Robust consultation

    As you rightly point out (Oxford Mail, July 11), when it comes to altering services as fundamental as rubbish collections, consultation with residents is paramount. We were surprised, therefore, that you chose not to include details of the consultation

  • Bloody violence

    I was disgusted and horrified to see the photograph of a terrified calf jumping into the crowd at the San Fermin festival in Pamplona, Spain (Oxford Mail, July 11). You describe this as "revelry", yet the article below said: "Outrage over car taxes

  • Costly delay

    You report that work on the Westgate redevelopment scheme in Oxford "was delayed in March as developers waited on the result of Oxford City Council's application for a compulsory purchase order for surrounding land" (Oxford Mail, July 11). In fact,

  • Use Thames to give us power

    Old Father Thames keeps rolling along, down to the mighty sea as he has done for millennia. Have any of the windmill-brained, greeny bods, who will not sleep until they have wind turbines everywhere, blotting out the sunlight and producing power only

  • Cabbages and Kings

    It was Tuesday, the morning on which the Sentencing Guidelines Council announced stiffer penalties for those causing death by dangerous driving. As I made my way down the M40 towards Oxford, I listened on the radio as the council's spokesman made it perfectly

  • Extra flood cash due

    Oxfordshire has been awarded extra Government money for communities still affected hit by last year's flooding. Floods recovery minister John Healey has today announced the county would benefit to the tune of £1m. In total, 62 local authorities would

  • Donkey Punch (18)

    If you don't already know the meaning of a "donkey punch", you certainly will by the blood-soaked conclusion of Olly Blackburn's lurid, sex and drug-fuelled thriller. A sweaty orgy aboard a luxury yacht, where the titular act of kinky experimentation

  • Meet Dave (PG)

    Two Eddie Murphys are no better than one. In the family comedy Meet Dave, he plays the noble leader of a race of one-and-three-quarter inch high aliens on a mercy mission to save their dying planet. The funnyman also plays the extra-terrestrials'

  • My history

    Hello Well my name is Dawn Hillier and I am 26 years old. My life has been quite a rollercoaster of emotions!! At the age of 16 was when things went wrong for me. I decided to go on the depo injection which I thought was great!! No periods for 6 months

  • My history

    Hello Well my name is Dawn Hillier and I am 26 years old. My life has been quite a rollercoaster of emotions!! At the age of 16 was when things went wrong for me. I decided to go on the depo injection which I thought was great!! No periods for 6 months

  • My history

    Hello Well my name is Dawn Hillier and I am 26 years old. My life has been quite a rollercoaster of emotions!! At the age of 16 was when things went wrong for me. I decided to go on the depo injection which I thought was great!! No periods for 6 months

  • WALL-E (U)

    The technical wizards at Pixar dispel the myth that size matters in their latest computer animated fable. As long as you've got a big heart, anything is possible, and in WALL-E, that just happens to be the most magical, out of this world love story,

  • Uncle Narnia

    A collection of Narnia books, some signed by the author CS Lewis, yesterday raised thousands of pounds for an Oxford church at a London auction. The sale of the books would not have been possible without the generosity of Walter Hooper, 77, from North

  • Great buns

    I can still taste the garlic, nearly a week later. Since then my children have shunned me, Mr Greedy wrinkles his nose in distaste every time I speak and the school mums scurry off whenever I appear. I don't know why the waitress didn't just inject

  • Added value

    Hilary Kay has just returned from the Antiques Roadshow in Dumfries, Scotland, where she said their skins are waterproof. But then among the damp bystanders and coronation tea sets Hilary found an antique toy which made her day. This may be one of

  • Just beastly

    Why? Because if you don't like Shakespeare you will like this. Where? The Oxford Castle former prison exercise yard. How? With a lot of blood, sweat and tears. And with the play opening on Thursday you can find out for yourself. "It's a really strong

  • Fiesta GTi

    One of my favourite Oscar Wilde quotes is this; "It is absurd to divide people into good and bad. People are either charming or tedious". Not so, old chap. Not so at all. It's especially not the case if you decide to venture into Que Pasa on a Friday

  • Carry on Truckin’

    To thousands of Oxfordshire music lovers, Truck Festival is more than just a festival. It's a pilgrimage. Every summer for the past 10 years, musicians, artists, fans, party people and random fun-seekers trek down the A34 to Steventon for two days of

  • Win tickets to WOMAD

    In just one week, the world's greatest celebration of diverse world music gets underway, across the border in Wiltshire. The WOMAD - World of Music and Dance - festival is in many ways the perfect weekend, offering great music from some of the globe's

  • Cyclist injured in collision

    A 40-year-old cyclist suffered a suspected broken ankle after a collision involving a Peugeot 206 in Oxford today. The incident happened at the junction of Banbury Road and Rawlinson Road shortly before 9.30am. The man was treated at the scene by

  • Strings attached

    Consider the musical highlights of Oxfordshire: sweet-voiced choristers, peels of churchbells, fine orchestras and up-and-coming rock bands. But the county is also home to something altogether more exotic - the lilting traditional melodies of the West

  • Moving with the times

    Milton Park has emerged as one of the innovation powerhouses of the United Kingdom. With more than 6,500 people working there for 160 companies, collectively it is one of the largest employers in the county. But such a vibrant facility requires support

  • Councils merger approved

    Plans to merge key local authority services in two districts were given the go-ahead by councillors last night. Conservative-controlled South Oxfordshire District Council and the Liberal Democrat-run Vale of White Horse District Council expect the move

  • Customs offices to close

    HM Revenue & Customs has announced it is to close two of its Oxfordshire offices after a two-year review into the future of the department. The Crown Buildings in Southam Road, Banbury, and Sterling House in John Smith Drive, Oxford Business Park, Cowley

  • Cyclist suffers broken ankle

    A 40-year-old cyclist suffered a suspected broken ankle after colliding with a black Peugeot 206 in Oxford today. The incident happened at the junction between Banbury Road and Rawlinson Road shortly before 9.30am. The man was treated at the scene

  • Enterprise culture

    A seat for a motorcycle pillion passenger and a travel version of a bass guitar were among the wacky inventions on show at this year's Oxfordshire's enterprise fair, Venturefest. The seat was designed by Chris Welford, 18, of the Marlborough School,

  • Making science sexy

    If you thought science was difficult and boring, Michael Gross's latest book aims to change your mind. He has spent the last 15 years writing science pieces for newspapers and magazines and recently published a selection of them in The Birds, the Bees

  • Local author

    Faith Martin is the penname of Jacquie Walton, who lives in Lower Heyford. Fans of her sleuth, DC Hillary Greene, will be left in suspense at the end of her latest book, Down A Narrow Path (Robert Hale, £18.99), with a cliffhanger ending after a wealthy

  • Paperback round-up

    Blazing Saddles: The Cruel and Unusual History of The Tour de France Matt Rendell (Quercus, £9.99) From Lance Armstrong's incredible comeback from cancer, to Tom Simpson's death on the slopes of Mont Ventoux, the Tour has been the stage for some of

  • Polymath's final book

    THE SEVEN LIVES OF JOHN MURRAY: THE STORY OF A PUBLISHING DYNASTY Humphrey Carpenter (John Murray, £25)Humphrey Carpenter's untimely death in January 2005 took from us a biographer of versatility and a broadcaster of virtuosity. Sometimes, he married

  • Sleuth of the steam era

    DEATH ON A BRANCH LINE Andrew Martin (Faber and Faber £10.99)I laughed out loud when I first saw the title of this book, as I took it to be a spoof. Actually, it is a serious crime novel, the fifth in a run about Detective Sergeant Jim Stringer of the

  • Government to invest £400m in Harwell

    OXFORDSHIRE has taken the lion's share of £400m Government investment in the science of the future. The Harwell campus will get £156.5m to build large world-beating research projects to underpin Britain's high-tech discoveries. The largest grant of

  • IT network revived

    Jan Hruska, co-founder of Abingdon-based computer security company Sophos, will give the keynote speech at the launch of ITsON. The first of a new series of events for the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) sector, it will start at 6.30pm

  • IT network revived

    Jan Hruska, co-founder of Abingdon-based computer security company Sophos, will launch ITsON, a new series of events for the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) sector, at 6.30pm on Wednesday at Science Oxford, St Clements, Oxford. Organiser

  • Update: Strike effect 'limited'

    A county council spokesman has said that the effect of industrial action is extremely limited. Union members across the county are on strike over a below-inflation 2.45 per cent pay rise offer. The action has also closed, or partially closed, 10 schools

  • 'Miniversity' at motor show

    THE home town of the Mini will be the theme of Mini UK's stand at the British International Motorshow next week. Mini UK, a subsidiary of German company BMW, has built a quadrangle, reminiscent of those in many Oxford University colleges, in which to

  • Knife crime is low in county

    Knife crime in Oxfordshire is among the lowest in the country, the latest Government figures revealed this morning. Knives and blades were used in 108 crimes in the county during 2007/08 including 54 in Oxford, 22 in Cherwell, 18 in South Oxfordshire

  • Witney overtakes Westgate

    An early symptom of the credit crunch appeared in January, when it seemed that a new £40m shopping centre in Witney would - at best - be delayed. Meanwhile, Oxford's £300m Westgate redevelopment scheme was going ahead on schedule. Now the tables are

  • Local share prices

    17/07/2008 AEA Technology 51.5 BMW 2279 Electrocomponents 148.5 Nationwide Accident Repair 113 Oxford Biomedica 7.1 Oxford Catalyst 163.5 Oxford Instruments 218 REED 544.5 RM 181 RPS Group 283.5

  • Murder sentencing adjourned

    A 26-year-old man who admitted killing a former soldier has had his sentencing adjourned at Oxford Crown Court today. Chris Philp, of Halliday Hill, Northway, in Oxford, murdered father of two Stephen Pinker outside The Cornerhouse pub, in Cowley, with

  • Eurobeat, Milton Keynes Theatre

    If laughter is the best medicine, as Reader's Digest has been telling us for years, then I have certainly taken more than enough restorative quantities of it over the past week. An especially large dose was supplied by Eurobeat - one of the funniest stage

  • Update

    It's been a while since my last entry - another trip to the hospital - long story, not interesting, glad it's all over. But it means there has been loads going on with Littl'un that I haven't managed to get down yet and looking back she has changed so

  • Is this really the word of God

    Lewis Carroll's White Queen sometimes believed as many as six impossible things before breakfast. Well, I can't - even after breakfast. Television keeps presenting me with things I find impossible to believe, and it did it again this week. The Qur'an

  • Volunteers help keep Pendon on the right track

    A display showing how life was in the Vale of White Horse around the time of 1930 opened at the Pendon Museum opened more than half a century ago. From its beginning in 1954, volunteers have run the museum in Long Wittenham. Roye England, Pendon's founder

  • The Clanfield Tavern, Clanfield

    They are roasting a hog at the Clanfield Tavern tomorrow and inviting villagers to mark the first anniversary of last year's shocking floods. Water engulfed the West Oxfordshire village (see below) during the afternoon of Saturday, July 21. Some customers

  • Brewery offers a royal treat at the game fair

    Let's raise our glasses to the 50th anniversary of the CLA Game Fair with a royal ale brewed in Oxfordshire. Yes, in just a week's time the grounds of Blenheim Palace will be be buzzing with activity as the 50th Game Fair gets under way. This popular

  • How Crystal Palace innovations live on

    Oxford's former station at Rewley Road was built using the same techniques, writes CHRIS KOENIG A prime difference between the Crystal Palace, originally constructed for the Great Exhibition in London's Hyde Park, and its offspring, the former

  • Strawberry cider fizz recipe

    They call Wychwood Green Goblin cider the drink with attitude - well it's certainly a delicious full-bodied cider made from English apples and aged in 100-year-old oak to give it character and flavour. Wychwood Green Goblin cider is not produced in

  • WALL-E and Meet Dave

    The technical wizards at Pixar (Toy Story, Finding Nemo, The Incredibles) dispel the myth that size matters in their latest computer-animated fable. As long as you've got a big heart, anything is possible, and in WALL-E, that just happens to be the most

  • Having tea with plants

    VAL BOURNE offers some useful tips on how best to feed the garden My garden has hungry soil and my potatoes are not happy. They have suffered cold nights, countless wet and sunless days and I have still to dig my thinly foliaged first earlies

  • Summer Hours, Puffball and Mad Detective

    Olivier Assayas is a difficult director to pin down. The son of a screenwriter and a former critic on Cahiers du Cinéma, he combines a respect for film art with a passion for mainstream genres. Consequently, his output has alternated between intense,

  • Blackbirds turn whitebirds

    Albinism among birds is not uncommon but the British Trust for Ornithology is appealing for sightings for its own research, writes ELIZABETH EDWARDS Reports of sightings of birds with variations in colour are always received with interest, both

  • As You Like It, Oxford Theatre Guild, Trinity College Gardens

    Last seen performing Neil Simon's Plaza Suite at the Playhouse, The Oxford Theatre Guild change tack somewhat and join the throng of outdoor performances in Oxford with their version of Shakespeare's As You Like It. Performed in the elegant gardens of

  • Kit and the Widow, Oxford Playhouse

    This incomparable pair of cabaret artistes has been performing together for 30 years since first meeting in the Footlights at Cambridge and, unsurprisingly, they command the stage and their audience with complete ease. They call this tour "100 Not Out

  • Visions of summer

    EWAN MONAGHAN talks to up-and-coming local painter Alexis Daras, a winner of an Arts Council competition to represent Britain in Strasbourg, and with an exhibition in Oxford Beaches bake under a clear blue sky, bleaching sunlight shines down

  • Summer Ceramics, West Ox Art Gallery, Bampton

    Unusual pots and pictures come together in this stimulating and happy exhibition. A traditional potter, Liz Teall's experience and skill are evident in her fine teapots and bowls that are useful and attractive. Layers of dark and light blue come in part

  • Gallery is still one of Oxford’s best kept secrets

    THERESA THOMPSON delights in two exhibitions as part of Christ Church Picture Gallery's 40th anniversary celebrations "Secreted behind an ordinary doorway within the Georgian façade of the Canterbury Quad and half-submerged beneath the Dean's

  • Falstaff, Nevill Holt, Leicestershire, and touring

    Having comprehensively outwitted the lecherous Sir John Falstaff, the merry wives of Windsor - through their mouthpiece and chief agent Mistress Quickly (Emma Carrington) - question the astonishing presumption of the rakish knight. Why would Alice Ford

  • City of Oxford Choir, University Church

    The 18th and 19th centuries saw Vienna take centre stage in the classical music world, as its commercial successes were reflected in an increased demand for musical and theatrical entertainment. Many of the world's greatest composers lived and worked

  • A story of bitter, twisted dementia

    Watermill Theatre is staging a version of the classic Hollywood film Sunset Boulevard. GILES WOOFORDE talks to the director Craig Revel Horwood Norma Desmond was once a great movie star, her silent presence seen, but not heard, on cinema screens

  • City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, Henley Festival

    Let's face it, music-lovers in Oxfordshire have become spoilt. We've got some of the best new bands in the country, fine choirs and orchestras, and a clutch of premier league festivals offering the best in pop, rock, folk and dance. But every now and

  • 20mph plans under spotlight

    Plans to make Oxford a 20mph city are being discussed at a meeting at County Hall today. County council leaders are proposing to roll out 20mph limits for residential streets across the city on a staggered basis, but 30mph limits are expected to

  • The Proclaimers, Henley Festival

    A giant, glittering shoe greets you as you walk through the main entrance. Before long you encounter men on stilts, angels on wheels, silver dinosaur-like creatures, black-shrouded figures and men dressed as dogs. Then there's a musical milk float, an

  • Topless Mum, the Oxford Playhouse

    So what sort of message does the title Topless Mum send out? Certainly, I'd suggest, that the entertainment on offer is going to be frivolous and, very probably, salacious. No doubt, this is what put off so many of the discerning theatregoers that make

  • Opera for Midsummer, Jacqueline du Pré Music Building

    Any projects that give performance opportunities to young musicians are to be applauded. The Little Opera Company, launched in January by recent graduates of the Royal Academy of Music, is one such company, and if its concert of opera scenes and arias

  • The Rosvik Group, Brian Sinfield Gallery, Burford

    Stunning" - that was Brian Sinfield's reaction to an exhibition of work by the Rosvik Collective. With his eye for talent, Brian wanted to make it easy for Oxfordshire enthusiasts to see paintings by the 24 Wiltshire artists. Sixty of their paintings

  • 20 mph plans under spotlight

    Plans to make Oxford a 20mph city are being discussed at a meeting at County Hall this morning. County council leaders are proposing to roll out 20mph limits for residential streets across the city on a staggered basis, but 30mph limits are expected

  • UPDATE: Council strike continues

    The three Oxfordshire libraries closed today due to industrial action by council workers are Central Library in Westgate, Oxford, Abingdon Library and Wallingford Library. In addition, the North Oxfordshire mobile library will not be on the road today

  • Flood of work for bookbinder

    Flood victims across Oxfordshire are turning to an Oxford bookbinder to help them save their precious collections. Ian Barnes, who owns Temple Bookbinders in Headington, said flooding in the county had created extra business. Following the floods

  • Ear, what's going on?

    A show guaranteed to make everyone listen closely came to Oxford yesterday. The Bionic Ear Show, at Science Oxford, in St Clement's, featured a giant ear measuring more than 22 feet - the size of 116 normal ears. Tobin May, left, of charity Deafness

  • Drive to offer better homes

    Unscrupulous landlords are to be driven out of Oxford by the creation of a public register displaying details of approved homes for rent. An increase in the number of landlords prosecuted by the city council in the past year for renting out unfit properties

  • Dodgy landlords are shown the door

    The creation of a public register listing approved homes for rent in Oxford makes sense. The list of prosecutions by the city council this year shows that some landlords are falling down badly on their obligations. In the past, some rented properties

  • GOLF: Pair record aces at same hole

    Two lady golfers called Pat defied incredible odds to ace the same hole as they played each other in a club match. Pat Dale, 71, and Pat Lacy holed-in-one at the 137-yard par three sixth on Frilford Heath's Green Course. And with 20-handicapper Lacy

  • United end interest in duo

    Oxford United boss Darren Patterson will not be offering deals to triallists Michael Gash and Reuben Reid. Ex-Cambridge United striker Gash and former Wycombe frontman Reid, played for part of United's pre-season win at Oxford City. However, Patterson

  • Boot out the rogue landlords

    Unscrupulous landlords are to be driven out of Oxford by the creation of a public register displaying details of approved homes for rent. An increase in the number of landlords prosecuted by the city council in the past year for renting out unfit properties

  • Hotel death: Room searched

    Detectives have carried out a fingertip search of a hotel room where a man was discovered dead. The man, in his 40s, was found in a room at the Four Pillars Hotel in Sandford-on-Thames at 12.50pm on Tuesday and was declared dead at the scene. Scenes