Clarion Weekend, 24 July 2026

A Mesolithic shaman roams the Ashmolean at last weekend’s Festival of Archaeology. Photo by Roger Close.

Rumours that the first vehicle under the new Botley Road bridge will be Santa’s sleigh have not yet been disproved. But in better news: Watlington is buying its high street, parents and carers at the JR are getting free meals, and as we click ‘Send’, Arbequina is a few minutes away from opening in the Covered Market. Read on…

This week’s top stories

Botley Road rail bridge’s reopening has been delayed by up to six weeks – pushing it back to mid-October. Three leaks were unexpectedly discovered in a gas pipe at the site, which now has to be replaced. Network Rail says that the pipe was not damaged by their bridge replacement work.

Gas company SGN and Network Rail are now working to confirm a new completion date for the works, likely to be announced next week. Tim Walden from Network Rail said:

“We know this news will be deeply disappointing for residents, businesses and everyone who relies on Botley Road, and we’re very sorry for the continued disruption and uncertainty. Our teams are working as hard as possible to complete the work and minimise delays.”

Local MP Layla Moran called the delay of up to six weeks “calamitous and catastrophic… residents and businesses have repeatedly seen goalposts move and promises broken over the course of this shambolic project”.

Oxfordshire County Council has confirmed the start of the city’s traffic filter scheme will be pushed back by the further delays. The filters were scheduled to take effect on 14 September, two weeks after Botley Road was planned to reopen, replacing the current congestion charge. Cabinet member for transport, Cllr Gareth Epps, said: “This is frustrating news for residents and businesses who have endured this closure for far too long as it is. Network Rail has not yet released a revised opening date for Botley Road. We will make an announcement once we can be certain about the reopening.”

Freddie the dog is unimpressed at the closure of his walkies route.

Separately, the cycle/footpaths alongside the Thames at Grandpont Nature Park will be closed by the City Council from August for construction works for the new Oxpens Bridge. The official closure is until next summer but with the hope of completion by March.

As well as the closure at Grandpont, construction work will occupy Oxpens Meadow. The riverside path provides an alternative route to Botley Road, for which a “dirt path” diversion will be available. Oxpens Bridge cannot wait for Botley Road's delayed reopening, says the City Council, because of the “flooding season”. Deputy leader Cllr Anna Railton wrote:

“We appreciate that these two footpaths are currently used as an alternative during the closure of Botley Road, and this will cause some further inconvenience to users. However, it is important that we stick to the timetable of this vital project for Oxford. We appreciate the patience of local residents during this stage, and encourage them to make themselves familiar with the two alternative routes that are available.”

Oxfordshire’s new councils will be among the smallest in the country, according to research carried out by the Local Government Chronicle. Of the 36 new unitary authorities, North Oxfordshire will be 30th by population (265,000), and Greater Oxford 32nd (241,000). The largest new authority is South Staffordshire, which at 683,000 residents is just below Oxfordshire’s whole-county total of 763,200.

Countryside charity CPRE says that the three-council split is “the worst option for Oxfordshire”. They believe that the Greater Oxford plan treats the Green Belt as “simply land waiting to be developed”, and have called for an explicit commitment to preserve its boundaries; rather than building in the Green Belt, they want to see “priority to be given to the provision of homes within the City of Oxford, rather than further employment development”. CPRE Oxfordshire director Marcus Gilleard says:

“This is a dark day for Oxfordshire’s Green Belt and a serious setback for local democracy. The Government has chosen the worst possible option for local government reorganisation, one that fails its own tests and puts our countryside under greater pressure. We urge the new Prime Minister to honour his pledge to give more power back to local people and revisit this decision.”

Oxfordshire’s Liberal Democrats have launched a petition against the decision. They say that “Rather than delivering savings and better local services, the three-council proposal would duplicate services across Oxfordshire, making local government more expensive, less efficient, and more complicated.”

The three shops targeted by Watlington Community Property.

The townspeople of Watlington are banding together to buy shops on their High Street, so they can “let them at fair rents to tenants who benefit the town” and keep them out of the hands of “landlords who want to maximise their yield”.

Watlington Community Property has been set up as a Community Benefit Society to buy the properties, and keep them in community ownership through an asset lock. They plan to launch a share offer, acquire the first property, then use rental income to fund further acquisitions. So far, they have received pledges totalling more than half of their initial target of £600,000. Their aim is “a High Street that owns itself… where the buildings are owned by the people who live and work here, managed for viability rather than maximum return”.

Their first target is 2 High Street, which with two ground-floor retail units is “the most visible building on the High Street”. But a private buyer has also put in an offer on the site, and WCP says “we need to move quickly”. They also hope to acquire Watlington Arcade at no 6, a cluster of small shops where the current landlord is keen to sell to the community, and another unit at no 26.

Founders include a former CEO of the Building Societies Association and local business owners. They explain:

“WCP will let to local independent businesses on commercial terms. Our community benefit purpose — preserving commercial premises for independent businesses and preventing speculative use — means we actively apply criteria when selecting tenants. We will not let to national multiples, and certain other business types will not be considered appropriate.”

Around the city

The new £9m Aspen Building at the Wood Centre for Innovation in Headington was officially opened by Oxford East MP Anneliese Dodds. The new building provides two floors of laboratory and office space for science and technology start-ups and scale-ups, plus a dedicated STEM resources room. The Aspen Building represents the next phase of the Oxford Trust's unique charitable business model, which reinvests income generated through its innovation centres into inspiring young people and communities through its STEM education and public engagement programmes. We wrote about the Oxford Trust and the incredible legacy of its founders, in a long read (and we encourage you to read it because it is a fascinating, and not well known, part of this city's history and future).
The Rose Hill/Littlemore roundabout, on Oxford’s southern bypass, is getting smart traffic signals that turn green when buses are approaching. Work will start on 27 July and last up to eight weeks, funded by the Government.
Small-plates restaurant and Cowley Road favourite, Arbequina, opens its branch in the Covered Market at lunchtime today. Opening times this weekend will be 12pm-8pm, with no bookings being taken at present. The owners say they are “unbelievably excited”.
Parents and carers staying with children being treated at the John Radcliffe Hospital will now receive free meals during their child’s stay. The initiative comes after a campaign by Charlotte Fairall in memory of her daughter Sophie, who was being treated for cancer. Charlotte said: “This initiative will make a meaningful difference to countless families who are navigating the challenges of caring for a child in hospital. Seeing Sophie’s wish come to life is a dream come true, and I am hopeful more hospitals follow suit.” The project, supported by Oxford University Hospitals and catering contractors Mitie, will also be rolled out at the Horton in Banbury. At the same time, a daily snack trolley for children, with freshly made milkshakes, will be introduced at the paediatric wards.
Construction has begun on 15 new houses in Northway. A turf-cutting ceremony at Westlands Drive marked the start of work on the £5m development by OX Place, the City Council’s housing company. Six of the new homes will be let at social rent (40% of market rate) and five at affordable rent (60-65%). The development will be ‘low-car’, with just two wheelchair-accessible parking spaces and a third space for visiting carers. It is expected to open in 2027. (The City Council’s press release calls it ‘Northway, Headington’ which has ignited a Marston/Headington argument in our WhatsApp group. We are sure our readers have views on this…)
From the oldest churches and colleges to the Mini factory and fire station, dozens of Oxford buildings will be open to explore free of charge on 12 & 13 September. Oxford Preservation Trust has run the Oxford Open Doors weekend each year since 2007.
One eye-catching event is a screening of a 1983 documentary series telling the story of Morris Motors’ car plant at Cowley, thought to have been lost. Making Cars, filmed for the then new Channel 4, will be screened at the Ultimate Picture Palace as part of Oxford Open Doors. The OPT reports: “The shows were hugely popular and a book was produced to accompany the series. Despite the appeal the series faded into history. Luckily, thanks to local researchers, a copy of the series has been found.” (Here’s a trailer.)

Witney flooding; new Banbury houses; the fire-damaged Crooked Billet.

Around the county

A hosepipe ban came into force across Oxfordshire on Thursday. Thames Water says the ban is necessary “following the driest spring in years, three official heatwaves, record temperatures and sustained high demand” – with demand currently 10% above normal levels. The ban covers watering gardens, cleaning cars and patios with a hosepipe, filling up pools, and sprinklers. The company stresses that you can still “wash your car using a bucket”. A long list of exemptions includes car-wash businesses, watering your allotment “where this cannot be reasonably done by a watering can”, and “filling or maintaining an ornamental fountain to operate water features with religious significance” (…we can see the creative interpretations already).
In almost literal ‘mending the roof while the sun shines’ news, work is getting underway on fixing flooding issues on a Witney estate. Oxfordshire County Council says drainage issues on Buttercross Lane were caused by “a lack of proper maintenance by the developer prior to adoption by the council”. Cllr Liz Leffman said that issues on the road, the only access to the estate, were “far from straightforward to resolve”. The work will take place from 3 to 28 August with marshals on-site to manage vehicles and pedestrians.
More flooding news: Oxfordshire County Council is investing £4m in repairing broken gullies after a project to inspect and clean every gully last year showed a number needed repair. The project also removed 2,346 tonnes of waste that was contributing to flood risk. Cllr Liz Leffman again: “We have a lot of broken gullies, due to many years of under investment. We know that by repairing them we will significantly improve drainage, particularly over the winter period. This work will help to minimise network disruption and protect communities."
A new housing development in Banbury is to be built with 65% affordable housing, over twice the amount required. Housing association SettleParadigm is working with developers Vistry on the 170-home development off Warwick Road. The development had originally been refused by Cherwell District Council. Vistry successfully appealed against the council’s decision, with planning inspector Alison Bell writing: “The delivery of 170 dwellings in the context of a national housing crisis and in an area that has staggering levels of unaffordability, is the weightiest consideration in the planning balance.”

Oxfordshire birders are all a-flutter after the sighting of a long-tailed shrike at Eastleach, on the Gloucestershire border near Lechlade. It is only the third time the bird, a native of south-east Asia, has been sighted in Britain. The bird was spotted on 8th July but not reported until the 18th. It turns out that even rare birds have a local government boundary angle (thanks to Ben Sheldon in our Bluesky replies):

“Its preference for sitting on the hedge that lies exactly along the border has led to many deep discussions about exactly how county boundaries are defined and what constitutes seeing the bird in Oxfordshire. Is it enough that the bird is, or does the observer have to be in the county too?”

Witney Town Council says it is “seriously concerned and disappointed” at the lack of communication while works are underway to make the High Street more pedestrian-friendly. They say that hospitality businesses are suffering from construction noise (including overnight) and access struggles, and that bus passengers aren’t being signposted to replacement stops. In a letter to Oxfordshire County Council, leader Ruth Smith writes: “Other places manage projects like this with positivity and a sense of progress through cheerful indicative images and clear, helpful signs. There has been nothing of the sort here.” The Town Council has called for clearer signage and in-person updates as the project enters its second half.
Business leaders across Oxfordshire are being urged to give up their beds for one night, and join the annual CEO Sleepout, raising funds to support the homeless. Participants will spend the night in University Parks and hear directly from people with lived experience of homelessness. Previous participants say the Sleepout leaves a lasting impression. Nik Roberts, CEO of Versantus, called it “an easy way to make a big difference”, while Chris Winchester, CEO of Oxford PharmaGenesis, said it brought home “how fragile life can be and how easy it could be to slip through the net”.
The landlord of the Crooked Billet pub in Stoke Row, near Henley, says he “wants to get back to work” after a kitchen fire caused extensive damage to the 17th century pub. Paul Clerehugh writes that “I’m waiting for the authorities and insurance to tell me what I can do”. Seven fire engines were called to tackle the blaze. There were no injuries. The food-centric pub is owned by Brakspear, a descendant of the Henley brewery founded in 1711, and has been run by Clerehugh since 1989 – earning the description in the Daily Mail of “Britain’s first gastropub”.
West Oxfordshire District Council has launched a new three-year Community Services Investment Fund, providing £555,000 to support organisations delivering projects that help communities, nature and the climate. The programme aims for longer term funding stability given local government changes. Cllr Sandra Coleman said: “By providing longer-term funding, we're giving organisations greater confidence to plan ahead, and continue making a real difference to residents. We encourage both new applicants and existing grant recipients to apply.”

Liam Walker and Tom Cripps campaigning against School Streets; “Mandolin!”

The Conservatives have won a town council election in Carterton, with their candidate Tom Cripps and Reform’s Darren Marshall competing with each other to oppose a School Streets scheme outside two primary schools. Conservative leader Liam Walker called it “draconian” while Reform councillor Natalie King said she was “literally fumming”. The two parties have each set up their own petitions, with the Conservatives writing that: “While everyone wants children to get to school safely, that should only happen with genuine community support and practical solutions that work for residents too.” Votes were Conservative 155, Reform 109, Labour 62, on a 19% turnout.
The weekend after Oxford Open Doors is Abingdon Heritage Weekend, 19 & 20 September, part of the national Heritage Open Days programme. There will be walks, talks, and visits including abbeys, almshouses, and architects.
Peak council news: West Oxfordshire residents are being asked to complete a bin survey. The district council is partnering with Oxford Brookes University on a research project to better understand what factors influence recycling behaviour and identify opportunities to improve recycling across the district.
South Oxfordshire District Council has secured more than £1m in government funding for its Didcot Broadway redevelopment project, marking a major milestone in plans to deliver new social homes in the heart of the town. The project will see nine one- and two-bedroom apartments alongside a new community space. Once complete, in 2027, the homes will be owned and managed by SODC at social rent rates. Cllr Tony Worgan said: “We are hugely grateful to Homes England for supporting this project. Not only will this provide new homes, but it will also transform a site that has long been in need of rejuvenation.” Didcot West ward councillor, Cllr Ian Snowdon, added: “Additional external funding for Didcot is welcome, particularly where it helps deliver much needed social housing. As the local ward councillor, I want to see this site brought back into productive use as soon as possible.”
Ray Jackson, the Lindisfarne musician who played the famous mandolin solo on Rod Stewart’s hit ‘Maggie May’, has bought a rare £2,800 instrument from Oxfam’s Abingdon shop – celebrating with an impromptu performance. Jackson collects mandolins and still has the instrument he played on 'Maggie May'. Jackson's partner first spotted the mandolin in Oxfam’s cabinet and photographed it for him. He came in the following week, tried it, and bought it on the spot. The instrument – a rare Northfield, handmade in Missouri – had been donated to the shop just two weeks earlier. Michila Wearn, who manages Oxfam in Abingdon, said: "We put this beautiful mandolin in the cabinet a few weeks ago – we had no idea what was about to happen. When Ray came in and told us what he'd played on, we couldn't believe it. When he performed, the atmosphere in the shop was electric.” (Unlike the mandolin, which is acoustic.)
Banbury has a new pop-up record shop. Warm Vinyl will be open every Thursday from 10am to 4pm at Cotefield Farm, on Oxford Road at the southern edge of Bodicote, promising “thousands of vinyl records for sale”.

Walking, cycling and boating

Roadworks contractors are being told to consider pedestrians and cyclists. Oxfordshire County Council has signed off a set of ‘Active Travel Guidance for Street Works’. It discourages ‘Cyclists Dismount’ signs except as a last resort, and says lanes at roadworks should not allow unsafe overtaking. It points out “Even unintentional actions, e.g. parking a works vehicle on a footway, can create obstructions that force vulnerable road users to navigate around hazards, increasing their exposure to danger.” OCC warns it may revoke permits for companies that fail to consider walkers or cyclists.
Pavement parking took centre stage at Cherwell District Council's meeting on Monday, as the Labour group proposed a motion to tackle inconsiderate parking and pavement blocking. The Government recently announced more powers for highways authorities to intervene if pavement obstruction creates safety risks. Although Cherwell is not the highways authority, councillors asked that evidence about local problem areas was sent to Oxfordshire County Council, and for Cherwell to run an education campaign to discourage pavement blocking. Cllr Rebecca Biegel, Labour Group leader, said: “Pavement blocking creates significant difficulties for pedestrians who are literally forced into the road. It is especially a problem for parents and carers with young children in pushchairs, and people using mobility aids. It’s time to tackle this issue.”
Boating restrictions are being imposed on the River Thames upstream of Oxford to conserve water. From Saturday, locks will only be operated at half-hour intervals with boats being grouped together; they will be closed at 6pm each night and reopen at 9.30am to allow water levels to recover. The Environment Agency says: “These temporary measures will help retain water within the system, support navigation where possible, and safeguard essential drinking water supplies.”
No restrictions are yet in force downstream of Oxford, but the EA warns they may become necessary. The EA has also warned of an increased risk of grounding due to low water levels: shallows have been reported by river users in central Oxford, by Port Meadow, and near Eynsham. They add: “Plant growth can become more noticeable, so check your propeller.”
Surfacing news: A potholed section of National Cycle Network route 5 on Sandford Lane has been resurfaced, between the Lawns, the Kennington Meadows path, and the west entrance to Sandford Lane Industrial Estate, best known here as the home of Proof Social bakery. (Our correspondents who journey between Oxford and Abingdon are delighted. We are still waiting for news on delivery of the long-awaited new Kennington-Radley shared path, but last week we reported on the latest plans for central Abingdon.)

This weekend

Pressed (£), Fri, The Workshop Café. Underground dance night featuring DJ Lemsip.
Go Electric (free), Sat, Seacourt Park & Ride. Test drive an electric car and learn about solar panels.
Meet Bumblebee (free), Sat, Templars Square. Get a selfie with a Transformer (do they count as electric vehicles?)
Merton College Fellows' Garden (£), Sun, Merton Street. Open as part of the National Garden Scheme. Look out to Christ Church Meadow from 'Tolkien's Table'.
Moonrakers Picnic Concert (£), Sun, Waterperry Gardens. Oxford's folk/classical ensemble perform in Waterperry's amphitheatre.
La Sécurité (£), Sun, Little Bully. The Montreal collective bring their neurotic dance-punk to the Bullingdon's front room.
Truck Festival (£), until Sun, near Didcot. Oxfordshire’s big “small festival” and, as we write, “a very limited number of official resale tickets has just landed”.

This week

Kankawa Nagarra (£), Tue, Iffley Church Hall. The 80-year-old Aboriginal Australian singer and guitarist brings her desert blues fresh from Womad.
Owl Light Trio (£), Tue, Abingdon Puppet Barge. The touring theatre pauses its residency with Captain Sandy and the Sea Monster to host local musicians in Abbey Meadows.
Feast (£), Thu, Daunt Books, Summertown. Author talk for this dark historical fairytale exploring what happens when you lose your sense of taste.
End of an Era (free), Thu, the Goldfish Bowl. Closing celebration for Magdalen Road's aquarium.

Oxfordshire’s independent media

Reddit debates the best burger in Oxford, and whether a zero-star hygiene rating outweighs “this is a tasty burger”.
The Oxford Sausage returns to Beaumont Palace with a photo-heavy exploration of this fascinating corner of the city.
Daily Info reviews Zog, Julia Donaldson’s dragon, at the Oxford Playhouse.
The Oxford Blue’s ‘Second Draft’ columnist signs off with the reassurance that “it is entirely possible to make it through an Oxford degree while remaining slightly confused”.
Oxford Drinker says “the future of pubs is in your hands”. Published on July 18, the article suggests “Maybe this government will slash business rates.” We want their crystal ball.
Edible Reading reviews Antep Kitchen on Cowley Road (link live from midday!).
Abingdon councillor Nathan Ley has a level-headed appraisal of the unitary council decision.
We were transfixed by a 2022 exploration of the abandoned houses of Harwell, soon to be demolished (follow-ups in a Facebook post).

Notes from Clarion HQ

When the Botley Road bridge first closed in April 2023, Rishi Sunak was Prime Minister, Labour was in the County Council coalition, the railway line south from Oxford was shut due to the near collapse of Nuneham Viaduct, and there was no Clarion newsletter yet (we were just a Twitter account). There are Mini Clarions who can’t remember Frideswide Square when it was full of through traffic. So we admit to a slight feeling of relief when the words “delayed by four to six” were followed by mere “weeks”, not “months”, “years” or the increasingly plausible “millennia”.

We have had a lot of new subscribers this week, we presume from the cheese-curious. So if you've shared our newsletter or articles, thank you – we appreciate you! We are all the Clarion. See you next week.