Clarion Weekend, 12 December 2025

Running the county: councillors at the City & County Council Fun Run this week (photo by Roger Close)

Happy Friday to all our readers. Take a break from your week and your festive preparations with the weekend Clarion. We have the latest on the congestion charge and Kidlington dump (of course) but also two excellent long reads, important Lego news, and good news for mouth cancer patients at the JR.

This week’s long reads

Two for your wintry weekend reading pleasure this week, very different and we're very proud of both.

After a rash of shiny new university buildings opened, many of you wrote to ask us to write about Oxford's billionaire donors. So we started at the very beginning. This week, we look at Cecil Rhodes, Robert Maxwell, Henry VIII and more – big-spending, big characters who have left their mark on Oxford. Find out how, and also why the Radcliffe Camera library was “like a eunuch founding a harem”. Stay tuned for modern-day donors next week.

Yet Oxford is one of the UK’s most unequal cities. Increasing numbers of people in our city are struggling to put food on the table. Phil Perry from Oxford Mutual Aid writes about the growing community that's stepping up to help.

This week’s top stories

The Kidlington illegal waste site is to be cleaned up following “an exceptional decision” to do so even though no prosecution has begun let alone costs recouped. The Environment Agency, acting on surveys by Oxfordshire Fire & Rescue, has concluded that “the scale of fire risk” mandates an urgent cleanup.

EA chief executive Philip Duffy said: “This week, new information on the risk of fire was received from the Fire & Rescue Services and Police and a decision made to clear the site as soon as possible on a wholly exceptional basis. We are now working through the most effective way to manage this.”

Impacts of a fire could include closing the A34, major air quality issues from the smoke, and interruptions to electrical supplies. The EA is looking for savings elsewhere in its operations to fund the cleanup, as it has no core funding for the work. A timeframe will be published “shortly”.

Warp speed bus on the High (photo by Roger Close).

Buses on Oxford’s main arterial roads are 12% faster in the morning rush hour, following the introduction of the congestion charge, than this time last year. Oxfordshire County Council has released data from the first month of the charge, which suggests traffic has fallen but footfall is holding up.

In the city centre, traffic dropped by 6% on Magdalen Bridge, 12% on Folly Bridge, and 33% on Hythe Bridge Street. Further out, Hollow Way dropped by 20% and Marston Ferry Road by 24%; both have a peak hour-only congestion charge. Ring road traffic was up by 5% on average: the biggest impacts on journey times were on the eastern side, where there was slower traffic from Cowley to Horspath Driftway, and on the A40 approaching Headington roundabout. Woodstock Road and Banbury Road also saw notably slower outbound journeys in the evening.

Footfall in the city centre was up 22% year-on-year, and 30% at the Covered Market, though the trend in recent years has been upwards anyway. Cowley centre (37%) and Botley Road (47%) saw the biggest rises. Park & Ride usage increased sharply at Redbridge, which is now 85% full on Saturdays.

Oxfordshire County Council says the data suggests a “promising start” for what is Britain’s third congestion charge, but cautions that “one month isn’t long enough to draw firm conclusions”.

Government quango Homes England has spent £25.5m on the controversial Chalgrove Airfield development even before a spade enters the ground.

A Freedom of Information Act request shows that £13m has been spent on “consultancy”, £11m on land purchase, and £520,000 on legal fees. The development is opposed by local councils. Local MP Freddie van Mierlo called it “harebrained” and said he has demanded a meeting with the Housing Minister. We took a deep dive into the plans last week.

Council fun runners (photos by Roger Close).

Around the city

Wednesday saw the 46th annual Christmas City and County Council fun run, around Christ Church Meadow. Councillors, officers, running clubs and university departments took part.
New digital technology has been unveiled at the John Radcliffe Hospital to help patients with mouth cancer who need reconstructive surgery. Traditionally the methods to ‘map’ the mouth following the removal of tumours have been intrusive – wet moulds inserted inside the mouth and nose cavities. The new technology uses wand-shaped scanners to map the face, which are then 3D-printed into the plates needed to rebuild the damaged area. The £170,000 was funded by the Oxford Hospitals Charity. A head and neck cancer patient from High Wycombe, Gregory Head, cut the ribbon on the new kit.
Lego is opening a store at the Westgate. The 250m² shop will be the 22nd in the UK. The company will be recruiting ‘Brick Specialists’ in the New Year in anticipation of a spring opening. Shweta Munshi from the Lego Group called the Westgate “the perfect site”, while shopping centre director Brendan Hattam said: “The arrival of such a globally recognised brand underscores Westgate Oxford’s commitment to offering the best retail lineup possible.”
Bonner’s fruit and veg stall in the Covered Market has closed, in the same week as South Asian café Ginger & Spice opened in the adjacent unit. An independent family greengrocer, Bonner's had opened in 1952.
2,600 Oxford homes which do not currently have a weekly food waste collection are to get one. These are mostly private flats and homes in multiple occupation, currently the lowest-performing sector for recycling in Oxford. Government is funding Oxford City Council to supply red food waste bins, kitchen caddies and caddy liners. Cllr Nigel Chapman said: “Even a modest increase in food recycling will make a meaningful difference to our recycling performance as a city, contribute to improving the environment and reduce the amount of waste going to incineration.”
The 1960s Waynflete Building has been demolished. Magdalen College is building replacement student accommodation on the site at The Plain. Rubble will be reused in the foundation of the new Waynflete Quad, named after the college's founder and due to open in 2028. A Clarion reader sent this view revealing the notorious Florey Building, the bright red accommodation block opened by the Queen's College in 1971. It is a Grade II* listed modernist building, but uninhabitable, and Queen's currently describes it as 'mothballed'.

The Mayor of Ramallah visited Oxford on Tuesday as part of ongoing efforts to strengthen the friendship between the two cities, twinned since 2019. They share similarities in population size, educational & healthcare institutions, cultural & commercial activities. Both are home to historic markets. Oxford Ramallah Twinning coordinates a wide range of activities and events including youth exchanges, dance and theatre performances, educational visits, and collaborations in trade union and environmental sectors.
Ramallah is one of seven cities with which Oxford is twinned. The others are Bonn (Germany), Leiden (Netherlands), León (Nicaragua), Grenoble (France), Wrocław (Poland) and Padua (Italy). Town twinning began after the Second World War as a way of rebuilding relationships between European communities.
Two young skaters from Oxford have been crowned champions at the British National Figure Skating Championships in Sheffield, within the Basic Novice category. Ellie Coley (14) and William Sandelands (15) train at Oxford Ice Rink under coach Richard Beamish. Jane De Lange, Ice Skating Co-ordinator at Oxford Ice Rink, said: “We are absolutely thrilled for Ellie and William. To see them achieve national success is incredibly rewarding for all of us at the rink.” The two champions will be performing as part of the rink’s festive production, Movie Magic on Ice, this weekend.

Around the county

An open letter calling for the Church of England to become “a truly hospitable church for LGBTQ+ people” has been signed by over 500 people in the Diocese of Oxford – more than any other diocese. 186 churches including Christ Church Cathedral, St Barnabas, and St Giles’ & St Margaret’s also signed. The letter, organised by the Inclusive Church movement, expresses deep disappointment at the House of Bishops’ decision to pause the ‘Living in Love and Faith’ project. It says “the majority of those within the Church of England now seek greater inclusion and affirmation of LGBTQ+ people”. However, it promises “We will not withdraw our Parish Share, or other financial contributions, in protest… generosity, not punishment, reflects the character of Christ.” Oxford’s conservative evangelical church, St Ebbe’s, in 2023 set up its own Oxford Good Stewards Trust to redirect its Parish Share.
Oxfordshire County Council is “urgently reviewing” its use of X, formerly Twitter, as a result of “very recent news regarding Elon Musk and his use of his platform”. Devon, Southampton, and Warwick councils have all recently quit the platform.
Following a question lodged at Tuesday’s council meeting by Cllr Gareth Epps (LibDem, Deddington), OCC leader Liz Leffman said: “I share your concerns, and deplore the fact that extreme language is allowed to be used by some high profile subscribers to X without any form of control. X is [however] currently an important platform; we need to include channels which residents already use to ensure we get messages to them in a timely way with maximum impact. Our use of social media is under constant review, and we are trialling other channels such as BlueSky and WhatsApp.”
“More twists and turns than a Netflix saga”: The seemingly Herculean challenge of getting a doctors’ surgery for the 10,000 residents of Didcot’s Great Western Park continues.
The health centre is to be built by a private company and leased back to a GP practice, but there is a gap between what the private developer wants for the lease and what the practice is able to pay. Health Secretary Wes Streeting writes that: “The proposals were not deemed to constitute value for taxpayers’ money… it was no longer viable for the practice and ICB [Integrated Care Board] to work with [health developer] Assura. The ICB is preparing to go back to market.”
Local MP Olly Glover called the news “very disappointing”. Cllr Sarah James, local Green leader, said: “This is so frustrating for residents in my ward. While this project is stuck, the Government is announcing further private finance in the NHS and ignoring widespread public concern about opening up the NHS to private profit.” Conservative councillor Ian Snowdon said it was “incredibly disheartening” and said previous celebrations, before spades were in the ground, had been premature.
At its meeting on 10th December, Vale of White Horse District Council backed a motion by Cllr James and independent Cllr Debra Dewhurst to write to Ministers and MPs. The issue was duly raised in Parliament by MP Olly Glover last week where he described it as “more twists and turns than a Netflix saga”.
A campsite on a River Thames island will be opened up to all comers, after Environment Agency plans – fiercely opposed locally – were approved by South Oxfordshire District Council. Shiplake Island plots have been privately rented on a year-by-year basis, many remaining in families for generations. The site, near Henley, was closed in 2022, and the Environment Agency gave notice to existing plot-holders last year.
SODC has now confirmed that the site may operate as a 17-pitch campsite from April to September. The EA intends to let it out to a third party for commercial operation. An SODC officer said: “I do not consider that this application is able to specify the nature of the occupier of the tents or how the camping operates in the future beyond the seasonal limitations and number of pitches that form part of the established use.”
The island is owned by the City of London Corporation but managed by the EA. Locals have expressed concern about parking and access, as well as the breaking of a tradition that has seen families from around Britain rent plots for years on end. Wargrave Local History reports that “since 1945, there have been four marriages between island families”.
A small solar farm is proposed for farmland outside the north Oxfordshire village of Duns Tew. The installation would have an output of 13.2MW, well below the 49.9MW size seen in many recent applications around Oxfordshire. Ilos New Energy has lodged early details with Cherwell District Council.
Cllr Maggie Filipova-Rivers is the new leader of South Oxfordshire District Council, following David Rouane’s decision to step down. Previously deputy leader, she is the Liberal Democrat councillor for Goring. Cllr Rouane’s valedictory letter held up the council’s work on balancing the budget, tackling homelessness, and climate change.
Resident doctors at Oxford University Hospitals, including the John Radcliffe, are taking industrial action from 7am on Wednesday 17 December until 7am on Monday 22 December. Routine appointments may be rescheduled.
Leaked ‘Your Party’ membership figures reveal that in Oxfordshire, Oxford East has the highest number of members of the embryonic left-wing party set up by Jeremy Corbyn and Zarah Sultana. The data set is from November. The constituency with the highest membership was Islington North (Jeremy Corbyn’s constituency) at 406, followed by Brighton Pavilion (held by the Greens) at 380. Oxford East is a comparative minnow at 148, with 109 in Oxford West & Abingdon, 79 in Bicester & Woodstock, 71 in Didcot & Wantage, 66 in Banbury, 56 in Witney, and just 53 red-blooded socialists in Henley & Thame.
The Catholic Church of Our Lady and St Edmund in Abingdon is one – or actually four – of the 199 sites added to Historic England’s National Heritage List in 2025 (aka “listed buildings”). The church, presbytery, a monument to the 7th Earl of Abingdon, and schoolhouse are each listed. The church is adjacent to the former school of Our Lady’s Abingdon, which closed this summer. The other new Oxfordshire listing in 2025 is Saunders’ Boathouse in Goring.
Public service journalism: festive bin news. Here are the collection days for Oxford, Cherwell, West Oxfordshire, South Oxfordshire, Vale of White Horse.

¡No pasarán! Flooded towpath (Oxford City Council); Phoenix Trail at the site of Thame station (Bill Boaden at Geograph.org.uk, CC-BY-SA)

Walking and cycling

The Thames towpath between Port Meadow and Botley Road is flooded and closed, say Oxford City Council. They warn that other areas of the towpath in the city may also start to flood over the next few days. Last winter, two people drowned in the city in separate incidents after entering flooded towpaths.
Oxfordshire has been given a "level 3" rating for cycling and walking schemes by the Government, up from level 2 last year. The improved rating means it will get more central funding for infrastructure improvements, with £20.2m earmarked for the county until 2030. The county was one of nine to receive an improved rating this year, along with neighbouring Gloucestershire which is building a 13-mile Dutch-style cycle route connecting Gloucester and Cheltenham. Cambridge, Bristol, Manchester and the West Midlands already have level 3 ratings. For Oxfordshire County Council, Cllr Andrew Gant called it “brilliant news”, saying “The funding awarded is a significant investment into making Oxfordshire greener, fairer and healthier.”
The popular Phoenix Trail cycling and walking route in Thame is to get a £250,000 upgrade. The path will be widened by one metre, resurfaced and landscaped around Van Dieman’s Road. The Walk Wheel Cycle Trust (formerly Sustrans), which owns the trail, will carry out the work with SODC funding. South Oxfordshire District Council has invited local groups to apply for similar funding when applications open in January. Other recipients of SODC developer funding this year included a community cafe in Berinsfield, a playground in Goring and an all-weather pitch in Wallingford.
School Streets, where traffic is restricted at pick-up and drop-off times, are to go ahead at five schools in Banbury, Carterton and Didcot. The trial schemes, which will be enforced by number-plate recognition cameras, were approved at an Oxfordshire County Council meeting yesterday.
The schools are Harriers Academy, Banbury; Edith Moorhouse Primary School and St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, Carterton; Willowcroft Community Primary School and St Birinus Boys School, Didcot; and an extension to include Delbush Avenue at Sandhills Community Primary School. The trials are expected to begin in March. Cllr Andrew Gant said: “Our school communities have reported back to us on the considerable benefits that a comparatively small arrangement can make for the school gate environment.”

This weekend

Christmas choral treats this weekend are too many to enumerate, but start with OSJ Voices at Dorchester Abbey on Saturday evening and St Hilda’s on Sunday; Opus 48 at the University Church on Saturday evening; Wychwood Chorale in Charlbury on Saturday evening; Banbury Choral Society at St Mary’s Banbury on Saturday evening; Vox Chamber Choir at Pusey House on Sunday afternoon; Banbury Symphony Orchestra at St Mary’s Banbury on Sunday afternoon.
And Britten’s Ceremony of Carols is everywhere: Keble on Friday (7.30pm), St Mary Mags on Saturday (7pm), Christ Church on Saturday (8pm). We did the Harp Lager joke last week.
Or for something differently traditional: the City of Oxford Silver Band at SSMJ in Cowley on Saturday evening (Lauridsen’s O magnum mysterium for silver band? This we have to hear), Kidlington Concert Brass’s Festive Frolics on Sunday at Exeter Hall, Oxford folk legends Magpie Lane at Wesley Methodist on Saturday afternoon, and John Spiers & Jackie Oates at Uffington on Sunday evening. Christmas concerts can sell out early – where possible, book tickets before travelling.
The Oxford Christmas Light Bus tours the county today (Friday) and Saturday, then again next Friday and Saturday. We have not just spent the last half-hour trying to fit ‘Hark the Herald Angels Sing’ to the tune of ‘The Wheels on the Bus’, honest.
Pillion (£), from Friday, Phoenix Picture House/Ultimate Picture Palace. The UPP persuaded us to include this by calling it a 'sub/dom romcom'. Certificate 18.
Experience Christmas, Sat, University Church. Meet live animals from the Nativity story. Recommended for children aged 3 to 11.
Xmas Beer Bash (£), Sat, Tap Social. Craft beer, cheese, and Horns of Plenty on an industrial estate in Botley.
Movie Magic on Ice (£), Sat–Sun, Oxford Ice Rink. Oxford’s most skilful skaters dance to movie themes from The Sound of Music to Hannah Montana.
Yule Salon (£), Sun, Hamblin Kiosk, Covered Market. Festive bakes: Yule log, mandelmusslor, and Christmas-spiced apple pie, oh my!
In A Different Place (£), Sun, The Bullingdon. Sixteen (16!) local bands: from 'Lynchian trip-rock' to 'high-octane sass-rock' via 'post-dubstep experiments'.
Climate Café, Sun, Common Ground. Oxford's monthly no-pressure facilitated space for sharing feelings about the climate crisis. Age 16+.

Oxfordshire’s independent media

Morris Oxford tours the city’s pubs. We let out an involuntary cackle at the description of the (late, lamented) Wharf House as “not quite as violent as the three-day town/gown riot which kicked off at the Swindlestock Tavern”.
The Oxford Student, meanwhile, explains how to drink.
Ox in a Box has a Christmas and New Year's Eve guide: where to eat, party & celebrate.
Daily Info has one too: trees and trains, postage, volunteering, restaurants open on Christmas Day, and a cartoon explaining ‘Why Santa hates Oxford’.
Little Oxplorers has an excellent list of things to do this weekend with the Mini Clarions.
No Oxford Sausage this week, so buy yourself an Oxford sausage at Aldens instead.
Bitten Oxford reviews the Part and Parcel in Witney, part of the Dodo Pubs pub chain, and we need to take a trip to Witney now.
Anna, a Ukrainian living in Oxford, visits all the Oxford colleges in 11 minutes.
Timothy Garton-Ash, Emeritus professor of European Studies at Oxford and 'historian of the present', argues that only Europe can save Ukraine from Putin and Trump.
And there’s a new issue of the Clarion. No, not us! The Clarion is the journal of the National Clarion Cycling Club 1895, which sees itself as the true inheritor of the Clarion cycling tradition. That’s as opposed to the National Clarion Cycling Club, which has a direct line of descent from Tom Groom’s original club, but controversially dropped its socialist allegiance in 2021. (Keir Hardie was never a Clarionette, whatever the Guardian may think.) Then there’s the National People’s Front of Clarion Cycling Clubs…

Books

Two lovely new books about Jericho crossed the Clarion desk this week. Jericho: A Celebration is a book of paintings of Oxford’s original Bohemian quarter, while A Jericho Scrapbook compiles recollections and photographs from 1955. Both are published by Jericho Living Heritage Trust.
Good, Occasionally Rhyming is “a celebration of the Shipping Forecast in poetry and prose” anthologised by West Oxfordshire bard Rob Stepney and the BBC’s Kathy Clugston. A Christmas present for anyone in their Forties. (Sorry.)

Notes from Clarion HQ

A state of the nation survey of Britain’s local press this week revealed that 4.4 million people in Britain live in “news deserts”, areas with no local news providers. New launches are predominantly independent digital publications, while closures are spread across print and online, independent and corporate. Urban areas are on average worse served than rural ones, with closures concentrated in the most deprived cities. Independent publications provided twice as much genuinely local election coverage than those owned by the three local press giants, leading to the conclusion: “Public interest news provision is not even or equal across outlets, but it is associated with ownership.”

Which brings us back to the Wharf House, Oxford’s most infamous pub. After it closed in 2006, landlord Tony Flatman (“one of the few landlords to leave their own pub through the front window”) relocated to South Wales where he founded the Abertillery Dynamic, a rabble-rousing newspaper with a “Sheep of the Week” column. Documentary photographer Martin Parr, who died this week, hosted an exhibition about the Dynamic in 2023. The Observer’s review notes that the paper offered “heartfelt local stories with a bit of a smile on its face”, but we like its own slogan better: “Super Stories, Satire and Sheep”. Inspiration for us all. Have a great weekend.