Clarion Weekend, 14 August 2026

A furry friend, protected from the eclipse, at South Park. Photo by Roger Close.

Your weekend roundup of city and county news, lovingly sliced and diced by our volunteer writers and then baked for several days at 35°C. Read on for playgrounds, cafés, poetic fingerposts, clean air and (sadly) less clean water…

Photo special

What felt like half of Oxford was out in the parks and meadows to see the eclipse on Wednesday. Our photographer Roger Close captured the atmosphere at South Park where Oxford University's Space & Astronomy Society and Reuben College, Oxford, held a watch party.

This week’s top stories

Year 13 students at Henry Box School, Abingdon & Witney College, and Wood Green School.

Thursday was A-level results day and Oxfordshire’s schools have been celebrating their students’ results. Irene Tracey, Chancellor of Oxford University, offered “warmest congratulations to all those who have secured a place at Oxford”, while Oxford Brookes has opened its Clearing hotline for students still seeking a place.

Students receiving A-level, BTec (Level 3) and T-level results who are unsure of their next steps are being encouraged by Oxfordshire County Council to explore the wealth of advice and information on options available. Advice can be found at the dedicated oxme.info site and via the National Careers Service (helpline: 0800 100 900). For OCC, Councillor Sean Gaul said:

“Some students will have a clear path forward, but for others, it will be a time of reflection, perhaps adjusting plans. There are many choices available, from university, to beginning work, starting an apprenticeship or embarking on a training programme. Support is available through a number of services that offer help for young people. I’d like to thank the many educational professionals who have taught and mentored our young people during their time in Oxfordshire’s schools and colleges.”

For young people considering their options, Oxford Brookes is guaranteeing accommodation to anyone who applies through clearing, while those interested in apprenticeships can find help at oxme.info, UCAS or gov.uk.

Oxfordshire now leads the UK on clean air, claims a key figure at Climate Emergency UK – the organisation that monitors councils’ climate progress.

Isaac Beevor said that while clean air and a decarbonised transport system had traditionally been seen as the realm of London and Labour, LibDem-led Oxfordshire County Council is now “leading the UK on clean air initiatives”. He cites Britain's first zero emission zone (in conjunction with Labour's Oxford City Council), electric buses, and the introduction of school streets and low-traffic neighbourhoods – none of which have been repealed, despite being delivered against the background of a vocal minority and “conspiracy theory-laden social media”. He adds:

“The response of the national government, and all of the regional mayors, who have failed to take any decisive action in the past three years to clean up our air and decarbonise our transport, pale in comparison to Oxfordshire. And it’s all with the backing of local people. Both the Liberal Democrats and Greens elected their highest number of councillors in the 2025 local elections, while independent candidates who campaigned against the initiatives failed to cut through.”

In a parting shot he urges UK councils to follow Oxfordshire’s lead, with zero emission delivery zones, workplace parking levies, increasing and expanding parking controls to dissuade shorter car trips, and recognising that the street is public space, not a private car park. In September 2024, Andrew Gant, then Cabinet Member for transport, wrote exclusively for the Clarion, explaining the rationale for the changes in Oxford's transport.

Publicity images for the Abingdon (White Horse) Reservoir.

Polling carried out for Thames Water suggests that public attitudes to the proposed Abingdon Reservoir are warming – but “trust in Thames Water remains a visible barrier”.

The survey included online panels across the South-East and face-to-face interviews around Abingdon and Didcot, carried out in the heatwave months of May and June. It found that although two-thirds of respondents worry about future generations’ water supply, only 39% “trust Thames Water to do the right thing for customers”.

Opposition to the plans was strongest among those who live closest to the planned reservoir, with 25% of residents within 5km saying that they opposed the plans, compared to 6% within 10-20km. After the survey showed (unspecified) information about the plans and then asked the question again, the 25% figure fell to 20%.

Thames Water says that, in aggregate, 89% of those surveyed across the South-East support the plans, with respondents citing climate change and “chronic underinvestment for decades” among the cited reasons. However, “underlying distrust of Thames Water” was cited as a recurring theme among those who opposed the scheme, as well as environmental and wildlife impact, cost and construction impacts. 85% of those living within 5km believed there would be severe disruption during construction.

Three-quarters of respondents wanted to see trails for walking, cycling and outdoor exploration at the reservoir, with the highest interest among those closest to the site. Waterside cafés and restaurants, beaches, and canoeing facilities were also popular, particularly among under-45s.

96% of respondents who lived within 5km of the reservoir site had heard of it, as had 75% within 10km, dipping to just 32% within 20km. Online news was the most popular source of information (41% of respondents), with print newspapers/magazines falling from 27% two years ago to 24%.

Local campaign group GARD (Group Against Reservoir Development) continues to lobby against the proposal, delivering 9000 leaflets to local towns and villages, and organising action days in Wantage and Abingdon. Thames Water’s full survey report can be read online. We looked at the reservoir in a long read in March 2025, followed by a three-part guest series by Cllr Andy Cooke.

Around the city

Oxford City Council is setting aside £0.85m in a race to secure consultants in high demand for local government reorganisation. With Oxfordshire’s councils set to be reordered according to the City’s ‘Three Councils’ plan, a report warns that “Given the scale, complexity and compressed timescales associated with the design and implementation phase for Greater Oxford Council, existing officer capacity alone would not be sufficient to meet the programme requirements without additional specialist support.” But with 20 other counties being reorganised at the same time, they say “there is urgency in moving ahead […] due to competition in the market for limited specialist consultancy resources”. The deadline for bids was yesterday. (We have as yet been unable to verify whether Colston Bassett Dairy or Caws Cenarth applied.)
Shoe retailer Russell & Bromley will be returning to the Westgate centre later this year, following its nationwide administration earlier in 2026. The footwear brand was acquired by Next as part of a rescue deal in January 2026: Oxford will be one of the first stores to reopen, on September 3. Clare Martin, Centre Director at Westgate Oxford, commented: “We’re delighted that Westgate Oxford has been chosen as one of the first locations for reopening. Russell & Bromley has always been a popular brand among our guests and it’s a great part of our retail mix.” (Side note: why does Oxford have so few really good shoe shops?)
Mystery scran: Academics at the Radcliffe Observatory Quarter could have a new eating option with plans submitted to convert 48 Walton Street, on the opposite side of the road, to a hot food takeaway. It currently houses Oxford property tycoon Robin Swailes’s NOPS letting agents. An application has been lodged with Oxford City Council. It doesn’t specify the type of takeaway but given that the plans clearly mark a “wok burner”, we’re guessing it’s not Schwarzman Fried Chicken or Blavatnik Fried Seagull.

The refurbished Friars’ Wharf playground (photos by Cllr Brad Baines via social media)

The playground at Friars’ Wharf, at St Ebbes-by-the-River, has been extensively refurbished after a generous donation by a private donor in memory of her daughter. ‘Emily’s Playground’ was dedicated by deputy Lord Mayor Louise Upton, who called it “a wonderful way to bring something positive from something so sad”. The family helped design the equipment that has been installed.
Working hours across the city have been shifted earlier this week due to the high temperatures. The day shift at the Botley Road railway bridge has begun at 5am and finished in mid-afternoon, while City Council bin collections have begun at 4.45am.
Plans to extend Tower House guest-house on Ship Street into the neighbouring property, no. 14, have been refused by City Council planners. They cited the Local Plan policy against loss of residential accommodation. Oxford Civic Society had opposed the plan, writing: “It appears that the dwelling will become an Airbnb property, operated by the B&B next door. While we support the visitor economy, OCS regret the loss of a house which could provide accommodation for residents who live and work in the city centre.”

Oxford’s newest cafe is the Good Habit on St Giles, opening on 1 September. The name is a pun on the monastic Catholic hall of Blackfriars, who own the site: it was a bank until 2018. The cafe is now recruiting staff (hello@thegoodhabitbakery.com).
Oxford United have announced a new half-time game, ‘Think, Sprint, Score’. Two OUFC fans will go head-to-head in a “test of football knowledge, quick thinking and speed”, each given a buzzer to be the first to answer the five questions on the big screen (for example, “Is this ancient woodland: yes or no?”). Fans can register their interest at the start of the season and select the match they would like to participate in.

Artists' impression of the proposed new development at Bicester Motion.

Around the county

Bicester Motion, the ‘future mobility’ campus on the former RAF Bicester Aerodrome, has submitted plans for a radical transformation of the site over the next ten years. Three separate planning applications cover The Rushes, a public-facing demonstration space for the mobility and technology companies based on the site; Command Works, for offices and employment space; and Motion Living, 200 low-rise, low-density apartments to create “a sustainable live/work community”. A fourth application, for R&D space, is currently being finalised.
Bicester Motion say that the development will ultimately create 7,600 jobs, as well as supporting 5,600 in the construction phase. CEO Daniel Geoghegan described it as “a framework for businesses to establish, scale and remain in Oxfordshire”. Over 50 businesses are already established on the site; we looked at the project in a long read in 2024.
In an attempt to clean up water quality at the Wolvercote Mill Stream bathing spot, £4m of ultraviolet treatment equipment has been installed at Cassington sewage works. Thames Water says “Cassington STW has the potential to impact the bathing water but is not the only contributing factor.” Since May, the ultraviolet treatment has neutralised bacteria and other pathogens before treated wastewater is returned to the environment. Wolvercote Mill Stream was designated as a bathing spot in 2022, since when it has been consistently classified as “poor quality”. Thames Water believes that agriculture and urban run-off, “which can be difficult to identify and capture through routine monitoring”, also contribute to pollution. It says it will continue to monitor levels during the 2026 bathing season.
Oxfordshire County Council is commissioning a one-stop shop for online bookings and applications, at a cost of £420,000. The Goss Self-Service software has been chosen to “deliver a unified, secure and scalable digital experience platform”. OCC says its current offering relies on manual processes and is “fragmented”.
A Banbury engineering company is celebrating setting a new land speed record in a hydrogen-powered car. Prodrive, as part of a team including JCB and Ricardo, were responsible for vehicle integration and trackside operations for the JCB Hydromax, which hit an average speed of 406.320mph on the Bonneville Salt Flats in Utah. The streamliner vehicle had previously reached an average speed of 368.347 mph to set a Southern California Timing Association (SCTA) class record at Bonneville Speed Week.
Jurassic art at Blenheim Palace: Dinosaurs are Forever, an exhibition in partnership with the Museum of Natural History, is now open. Dino sculptures by artist and TV presenter Jay Jay Burridge combine paleontology with modern materials and engineering.
Fancy living next to the pub? Three new houses have been approved on land owned by the Tite Inn in the sought-after West Oxfordshire village of Chadlington. (There is doubtless an angle here about the TV presenter who lives up the road but we’ll leave it to others to draw that.)
Plans for a ‘community hub’ in Freeland’s old Methodist Church have been lodged. The chapel was purchased for £165,000 by a group of 160 villagers in June, after a long campaign. The group hopes to open the hub by spring next year. Freeland is on the Witney side of Hanborough, in an area seeing high housing growth.
Dispersal orders have been put in place in Neithrop, Banbury, following a stabbing on Thursday evening. A 15-year old boy has been arrested and remains in police custody. One person received hospital treatment for a stab wound but has since been discharged. For Thames Valley Police, Inspector Langley said: “The orders will give our officers extra powers to carry out stop and search activity and disperse people causing a disturbance; they have been enacted for the safety of the public. These are emergency powers and the threshold to implement them is very high; however, we are using them to keep our communities safe.”
Another AI-generated local news publisher has surfaced. ‘Future Business Media’ has launched Witney News, Banbury Online and the Oxford Post, as well as numerous other sites covering Wokingham, Altrincham, Uxbridge, Market Harborough and many more. The content is AI summaries of council documents. It cites its sources as “planning register and committee papers, licensing notices, police crime data, HM Land Registry sold prices, food hygiene ratings, Environment Agency flood warnings, and Gazette company filings”. A publisher called Future Business Media on LinkedIn has a Dubai-based “editor and co-founder”. We reported in April on Oxford Daily and other AI-generated publications from the Times Intelligence Media Group, which recycle content from existing news sites and appear not to know the difference between Churchill (Oxford) and Churchill (Pennsylvania).
In news that will surprise no one, West Oxfordshire District Council is reporting that Woodstock Open Air Pool is having one of its busiest summers yet, with more than 9,000 visits since opening for an extended 14-week season in May. For WODC, Cllr Tim Sumner said: "It has been fantastic to see so many people making the most of Woodstock Open Air Pool this summer. With plenty of the season still to come, I'd encourage anyone who hasn't visited yet to come along and enjoy this fantastic community facility."

Thames Path fingerpost with a poetic QR code.

Walking and cycling

A new housing development in Wantage could get an improved cycle link across town, connecting to the cycle route to the Harwell science and technology campus. Oxfordshire County Council has commissioned a study into cycleway improvements between the 1,500 home site at Crab Hill and Lark Hill. The project concentrates on Reading Road between the Lord Nelson pub in Lark Hill and the new King Alfred's Way roundabout, where OCC says “the pathway is narrow and currently not formalised as shared use… widening may be necessary to make the path more accessible and user-friendly”. A contract has been awarded to transport consultancy Urban Movement; it is expected to report back by the end of the year.
Fingerposts on the Thames Path are to be given a poetic twist. QR codes will link to selections from Robert Seatter’s River poems, which celebrate the Thames and its tributaries. Robert runs workshops at Kelmscott Manor, the country home of William Morris by the banks of the Thames.
The ‘North Leigh gap’ on the cycle route from Witney to Hanborough station could be filled. Another study commissioned by Oxfordshire County Council investigates providing a roadside cycleway on the A4095 past North Leigh, where cyclists currently have to divert through the village on residential streets. A new path could provide a safe cycle link to members’ club Estelle Manor as well as improving the journey to Hanborough. Consultants Stantec, however, found that the failure of a recent housing development to leave space for the path has made implementation harder: “The intended safeguarded land has not been made available, and various features prevent the footway/cycleway route through the plot. Delivering the footway/cycleway along this section is not viable without major works.”

This weekend

Dine'n'Devour, Fri-Sun, Broad Street. The street food festival returns.
Baby-Friendly Life Drawing (£), Sat, James Street Tavern. A lunchtime session for parents and carers with babies under 12 months.
All Kenyans in UK Festival (£), Sat, Horspath Sports Ground. The diaspora celebration returns to Oxford, with an official afterparty at the Bullingdon.
Dream of the Sea (£), Sat/Sun, Pegasus Theatre. Submarine puppetry and circus fun bringing the ocean to life for all ages.
Combe Mill in steam (£), Sun, Combe (near Long Hanborough). Historic working mill fired up for the day, though annoyingly no Sunday trains stop at the adjacent station.
Although Fairport Convention’s Cropredy Festival is sold out, you can still catch impromptu folk music at the many events on the ‘Fringe’ this weekend, at the Brasenose Arms, Red Lion, and Old Coal Wharf in the village.

This week

Children's activities in Oxfordshire libraries (free), all summer. From Lego in Littlemore to crafts in Cowley – and it's not too late to start the Summer Reading Challenge.
Fancy Work (£), Tue, Daunt Books. 'Morris Oxford': all about queer Arts and Crafts with May Morris, her parents Jane and William, and her gender-nonconforming partner M.F.
The Popguns (£), Tue, Jericho Tavern. Brighton's jangle-pop legends return to the Jericho for the first time since April 1990.
Bee Wild! (£), Wed, Hill End. Two relaxed walks learning about pollinators.
Kidlington to Thrupp Canalside Walk (free/booking), Thu. From Exeter Hall to Annie's Tea Room (and back) with the Canal & River Trust. Age 7+.

Oxfordshire’s independent media

Solar Eclipse Causes Panic if you believe the Witney Gitzette, and who wouldn't.
The Oxford Sausage takes us on a tour of Christ Church Cathedral.
Daily Info reviews ‘The Elixir of Love’ at Waterperry Opera Festival.
The Oxford Student, still going through the long vac, asks if formals need to be so formal.
Independent Oxford visits Walton Street Wellness.
Tatler asks ‘What does your Oxford college say about you?’, while Hello report that the Earl of Wessex has been studying in Oxfordshire all this time. (Not independent, of course, but it tickled us. He's going to study land management – we wonder if he has views on the ‘family farm tax’?)
And finally, our attention has been drawn to this website for South Oxfordshire tourism, which is rather lovely. There you will find walking and cycling trails as well as hidden gems of market towns and TV filming locations. Hat tip to South Oxfordshire and Vale of White Horse councils who created it.

Notes from Clarion HQ

Your Clarion writers’ brains have been melting in this heat, as has our email inbox (not figuratively; the server gave up and died on the hottest day of the week yesterday), so you will, hopefully, forgive us any typos. Have a great weekend and we’ll see you for a slightly cooler newsletter on Tuesday.