Clarion Weekend, 28 August 2026

Surveying moths with the Friends of Aston’s Eyot last Sunday. Photo by Roger Close.

It's the Bank Holiday weekend. Were you expecting some light-hearted froth? You know us better than that. Today our cheese-eating correspondents bring you the latest on "future Oxfordshire", plus LTN fines, a new Vietnamese restaurant, East West Rail vol. 927, and much much more…

This week’s long reads

Last week we ran our first ever reader survey. We’ve crunched the numbers and read every single comment (hundreds and hundreds of them!). Thank you to everyone who responded – here’s what you said.

This week’s top stories

Government planners have decided to hold a full inquiry into the proposed expansion of Campsfield Immigration Removal Centre, near Kidlington – rather than the lesser options of inviting written representations, or a simple hearing. The Home Office is planning to expand the newly reopened detention centre from 160 to 400 places.

The Coalition to Close Campsfield has called on Prime Minister Andy Burnham to intervene, writing: “We support your talk of ‘Taking power out of the centre and putting it in the hands of the people and places who can use it best.’ So – let our elected representatives decide! They oppose the reopening and expansion of Campsfield. The Government should respond to the news of the public inquiry by withdrawing its planning application.”

Over 250 objections were submitted to the expansion plans, including county, district and town councils; MPs Calum Miller (LD) and Layla Moran (LD); and over 100 Oxfordshire residents. Amnesty International says the expansion is misconceived: “The majority of detained people are released back into the community. There is no explanation for the persistent use of immigration detention in these circumstances.”

With the Government's new plans for Oxford just a few weeks away, Oxfordshire thinktank POETS has warned against a "build, baby, build" approach. The Government is considering a Greater Oxford Development Corporation, which would take over responsibility for judging major planning applications in and around the city. Rather than being elected like a local council, it would be steered by a Government-appointed board. Such a body is already being set up for Cambridge, despite local worries about lack of accountability.

POETS, which groups planning and sustainability experts from around the county, says that “if it were done well, this could be transformational in helping to tackle not just our affordable housing crisis, but also our climate, nature and health emergencies”. But it warns the body has an equal chance of “circumventing local democracy and any bothersome environmental factors, unleashing a ‘growth at all costs’ agenda”.

To make development “strategic and sustainable”, POETS says the Development Corporation must have:

A board not just composed of developers, but also community, environment, heritage and farming voices
Public board meetings with published agendas and minutes
A ‘strategic mass transit network’, such as rail or trams
Ambitious, enforceable climate change targets to address both mitigation and adaptation
A 'land value capture' mechanism, so that developments which increase the value of their land pay more back for investment in infrastructure
More green space within a short walk of people's homes

Above all, POETS says the Development Corporation needs a strong, strategic plan setting out where development will be – rather than simply reacting to opportunistic developments by house-builders. The Government is expected to publish its plans in early autumn: the final recommendations of the Oxford Growth Commission, proposals for the Development Corporation, and a public consultation.

Also this autumn, more details are expected to emerge of the three new councils that will replace Oxfordshire's city, district and county councils. The new councils for North Oxfordshire, Greater Oxford and Ridgeway will initially be constituted as ‘shadow councils’, starting with the appointment of chief executives.

Elections will be held for all three councils in May 2027. The Clarion understands that each current ward in Oxford City, as well as newly created wards in the areas it is annexing – such as Kidlington, Wheatley, Berinsfield and Culham – will have two councillors. In North Oxfordshire and Ridgeway, three councillors will be elected for each current county council division.

In all, this could add up to around 200 councillor vacancies across Oxfordshire. With the selection process underway already, several existing district and county councillors have privately signalled that they don't intend to stand again.

But above all, the elections could lead to a very different political landscape. Greater Oxford is expanding to include suburban Liberal Democrat strongholds, including those held by County Council leader Tim Bearder (LD), Cherwell leader Lesley McLean (LD), and others in Kidlington and Botley – potentially putting a LibDem/Green coalition within reach, dislodging Labour from its decades-long hold on Oxford. In North Oxfordshire and Ridgeway, meanwhile, the three-member system could provide an opening for Reform UK, who have failed to make headway on Oxfordshire County Council, but who advanced in Banbury and Bicester at this year’s district elections.

It’s oh so quiet… Shepherd’s Pit Lane (Roger Templeman at geograph.org.uk, CC-BY-SA)

Oxfordshire's first new Quiet Lane has received a thumbs-up from locals. Shepherd's Pit Lane, which runs from near Sandhills to the village of Stanton St John, is proposed for closure to through motor traffic. An alternative car route already exists on the parallel Bayswater Road.

Stanton St John Parish Council voted to endorse the proposal at a recent meeting. In a door-to-door survey, a majority of residents (98 from 183) supported the plan, with 24 undecided and 61 against.

Oxfordshire County Council is expected to approve a reduction in the speed limit on Shepherd's Pit Lane next week, in preparation for the closure to through traffic. In the medium term, the lane will link with a new roadside cycleway from Headington Roundabout (being built as part of the Bayswater development) to form a traffic-free cycle route from Oxford into the countryside.

In the latest instalment of the East West Rail saga, the RMT union is to ballot its members on Chiltern Railways for strike action. RMT represents guards and has been in dispute over Chiltern’s plan to run the new route, like its other trains south of Banbury, without guards.

The union is threatening to call out its members who work both local trains north of Banbury as well as the new locomotive-hauled ‘Explorer’ services from Birmingham, Banbury and Bicester through to Marylebone. It says: “Driver Only Operation represents a significant risk to the network and the current Train Manager establishment at Chiltern.” (Chiltern has recently employed 20 new train managers/guards to staff the Explorer fleet as they come into service.)

Around the city

Investigations are underway into a wildfire on Wednesday at Redbridge Paddock, the former landfill site off Abingdon Road which is earmarked for a new housing development. Oxfordshire Fire & Rescue were able to put out the fire. Arson has been suggested locally as a cause but not confirmed. City councillor for Hinksey Park, Cllr Anna Railton (Lab), said there was “some landfill really close to the surface – my understanding is it’s very uneven in depth of rubbish and of covering”. Intermittent rain is expected to continue over the next week, reducing the risk of wildfires.
3,384 motorists have been fined in one year for passing through a single camera-enforced Low Traffic Neighbourhood filter point in East Oxford. The James Street filter was previously enforced with a bollard, replaced by number plate recognition cameras in April 2024. A Freedom of Information Act request showed that in the 2025/26 financial year, 3,384 Penalty Charge Notices were issued, of which only 2,394 have been paid. Taxis and emergency vehicles are permitted to pass without fines: previously, the street was often used as a cut-through between the Cowley and Iffley roads.

South Park – seen from the newly opened gate (photo by Payam Atar).

Pump up the volume? An annual music festival is proposed for South Park. Festivals Group UK, a Brighton-based company, is applying to Oxford City Council for a licence to hold an event “for one weekend in August each year, running Thursday–Sunday, within the bounds of South Park”. They envisage 10,000 attendees, with live and recorded music, film and dance. The company runs two pop festivals in Brighton plus the retro-flavoured Park Series and Noughty 90s Festival, which takes place in Newcastle this weekend and is headlined by the Vengaboys.
Finance workers at Oxford University Press are to strike over a plan to offshore work to India. Sharon Graham, secretary of the Unite union, called it “a classic case of an employer prioritising greed over its hardworking staff”.

A new Vietnamese restaurant has opened in Summertown. Mai, at 198 Banbury Road, promises “genuine, home-style Vietnamese cooking” and offers both eat-in and takeaway. It’s open for lunch and dinner seven days a week and, frankly, the menu has us salivating already.
City folk collective Floyds Row have released a new album of “the old, forgotten and obscure” plus “epic tales of swashbuckling”. The Carlisle Sessions, which features Robin Hood and George Washington, was reviewed by Indie Boulevard as “it covers a lot of ground and holds together anyway… the record gets better and better on repeat”.
In the face of rising violence and abuse against healthcare workers, Oxford University Hospitals is partnering with Thames Valley Police to bring 'Operation Cavell' to its hospitals – an effort to strengthen protections for NHS staff, improve conviction rates and support victims. Every incident of assault or hate crime against OUH staff will be reviewed by dedicated investigators with an understanding of healthcare environments. Detective Chief Inspector Stuart May said: “NHS staff provide an essential service to our communities and deserve to feel safe while carrying out their work. We want to actively encourage OUH staff to report incidents and feel safe in the knowledge that we will take action.”
Meanwhile, Oxford’s hospitals have scored well in the latest inpatient survey for privacy, confidence in doctors, and kindness, but less well for information provided on leaving hospital. 443 patients who had attended hospital last November responded to the Care Quality Commission’s survey. Oxford University Hospitals’ scores were broadly similar to most other NHS trusts. Chief nursing officer Yvonne Christley said: “The survey is clear about where we must improve. Going home safely with the right support in place is part of care, and not the end of it.”
Oxford’s Green Party says the Government is backsliding on Thames Water nationalisation. The City Council has twice called for the water firm to be nationalised, following councillor motions in 2023 and 2025. Cllr Alfie Davies (Holywell, Green) said: “It is ridiculous that the government cannot commit to even a temporary nationalisation of Thames Water. Burnham has bottled it in the face of big-money opposition. Oxford needs Thames Water nationalised – now.”
In this week’s heartwarming news, the Airline coach service has been hosting guide dog puppies for socialisation sessions. Mandy Jones at the Guide Dogs charity said: “The aim is to familiarise them with surroundings they might find themselves in with future guide dog owners, including buses.” Labradors Peaches, Tally, and reunited siblings Rodney and Freda were the stars of this month’s session. Guide Dogs are appealing for potential volunteer puppy raisers to get in touch.

Around the county

“The cultural living room for Didcot” is the new vision for the Cornerstone Arts Centre. Its café bar is being revamped into “a warm, contemporary place for coffee, culture and community”. The upgraded area will offer more space for local talent, including monthly open mic nights, Open Decks, and a record shop. Café opening hours will be extended from 14 September, while new maker-spaces will showcase pieces by artists and independent makers. Book clubs, writing groups, talks, board game clubs and relaxed evening events are also being considered. Cllr Georgina Heritage (LD) at South Oxfordshire District Council called it “a welcoming space where people can meet friends, settle down with a book, work over coffee or stay for a drink after a performance”.
Up to 80 families with children with special educational needs may not have their school transport finalised by the start of term, according to the Oxfordshire Parent Carers Forum. The County Council’s school transport team has so far sent travel information to around 1,700 SEND families. In total, OCC arranges travel for more than 8,000 children and young people. OxPCF says: “We know that many parent carers are waiting to hear about their child’s home to school travel arrangements, and that this can be particularly worrying and stressful as the start of term gets closer.” It has urged 300 families who have not yet submitted their travel information to do so, saying OCC “cannot finalise arrangements until it has the information it needs”.
Three Oxfordshire businesses were fined early this year after visits by Home Office immigration officials. Adderbury Stores, Shakil’s restaurant in Bicester, and Sunny Builders in Oxford were each fined £40,000. Fines are issued for employing someone without the right to work in the UK.
Following a summer of sunshine and sold-out sessions, Woodstock Open Air Pool is extending its season this year, with cool water swimming starting back up from 31 August and running until Sunday 27 September. General manager Ryan New said: “It’s been an incredible season at Woodstock. We’ll be keeping a close eye on the weather, and if conditions are on our side, we’ll explore opportunities to extend the season even further.” (When it inevitably buckets down in the next 48 hours, can we blame WODC for jinxing the weather, and not the Clarion writers who creosoted a bench and bought an outdoor table in the hope of enjoying a long summer?)
More train disruption: After disruptions last weekend due to a power outage in their control room, CrossCountry are warning of delays this Bank Holiday weekend due to rail improvement works around Birmingham. Travellers are advised to plan ahead and check before travelling. They also warn of busy routes due to events and sporting fixtures, with thousands of revellers travelling by train to and from Reading and Leeds festivals, and Manchester Village Pride. (Shout-out to the GWR train manager on the 13.31 from Oxford yesterday, who delivered thoughtful and sensitive safety advice to a train full of excited teenagers attending their first festival.)
A new Local Plan for Cherwell District, which envisages 20,000 new homes being built in the years to 2042, is being examined by Government-appointed planning inspectors. The total includes 4,400 houses to address unmet demand in Oxford, as well as the growth of Banbury and Bicester. For Cherwell District Council, Cllr Chris Aramini-Brant (LD) said: “We submitted the Plan for independent examination in July 2025, so I'm pleased that we now have confirmation from the Inspector that it can move forward to the next stage.” The plan would remain in force even for areas like Kidlington that will be absorbed into the new ‘Greater Oxford’ council. The successor councils, Greater Oxford and North Oxfordshire, will then be expected to produce their own plans within five years.
In more Local Plan news, West Oxfordshire is consulting on its new plan, which will run to 2043. The formal consultation asks whether it is “legally compliant and sound”, i.e. whether it is effective, evidence-led and complies with national planning policy.
The plan is centred around two main proposals for new homes: “scalable new villages within the rural fringe of Carterton”, and “urban extensions to the east, north and west of Witney”. Eynsham is already earmarked for a western extension plus the Salt Cross ‘garden village’. Rapid transit such as a busway, rail line, or tram is proposed for the A40 corridor between Carterton, Witney and Oxford: “a transformational solution will be required to provide the connectivity and capacity to support sustainable growth”. Consultation is open until 9 October.
Town Councils Doing Good Things: A new ‘Alfred Flier’ bus service is to launch in Wantage and Grove on Tuesday (1 September), connecting Grove Business Park and the town centre with wider parts of Wantage and Grove. Mayor of Wantage, Iain Cameron (LD), said: “The launch of the Alfred Flier is the result of months of partnership working. This new service will provide an important transport link between Wantage, Grove, and Grove Business Park, making it easier for people to access employment opportunities.”
Carterton Council has been asked to waive a massive water bill caused by a leak. We got briefly excited by this story before realising it was Carterton in New Zealand. (Fun facts: the Kiwi Carterton, founded in 1857, pre-dates the Oxfordshire one, and in 1995 elected the world’s first transgender mayor, Georgina Beyer.)

Diversions underway on the Thames Path National Trail.

Walking and cycling

Pavement EV chargers in Oxfordshire will now retain at least 1.5m footway width, or 2m on busy streets, up from the 1.2m originally proposed. The new minimum is set out in a plan for new chargers across the county, to be approved at a County Council meeting next week. The plan adds that, where there is not enough width for this, EV chargers will be installed on ‘build-outs’ within the carriageway – but notes that these would be protected by bollards or hoops, to minimise the risk of damage from vehicle strikes. Footway chargers would be 45cm back from the kerb.
Campaign groups remain concerned, with Oxfordshire Liveable Streets calling for “layouts that avoid encroachment onto footways”. They say Oxfordshire needs a kerbside strategy to prioritise competing uses, warning it risks “a massive reallocation of space away from people walking to car drivers”.
The Thames Path is being diverted between Culham and Clifton Hampden. Construction work by Graham (apparently a major construction firm, not just one particularly industrious guy called Graham) on the HIF1 relief road will see the route diverted along the A415 footway.

Bollards and coffee… two of our favourite things.

Bollard news! Botley councillors Emily Smith and Ben Potter (LD) report that “after years of campaigning, the Botley Development Company are installing bollards at Church Way”. The retractable bollards will be moved into and out of place at 10am and 4pm each day by store staff at Missing Bean and Prestige Living. They write: “Church Way will be safer during the daytime, and available for the community to spread out into for social events – and perhaps a return of the market.”
Thames Valley Police this week seized illegal electric motorcycles in an operation in New Marston Recreation Ground. They have reminded residents that e-bikes must have pedals and not have electric assistance over 15.5mph, and that privately owned e-scooters cannot be ridden in public places.
A new batch of School Streets comes into operation on Wednesday (2 September). The schemes, which restrict traffic at school pick-up and drop-off times, are being introduced at Harriers Academy in Banbury; Edith Moorhouse and St Joseph’s in Carterton; Willowcroft and St Birinus in Didcot; and extra streets around Sandhills Primary in Oxford. Oxfordshire County Council is inviting feedback via an online survey which goes live that day.

This (Bank Holiday) weekend

Big Truck (free/£), Fri, Truck Store. Summery indie with expressive lyrics.
Wilderness States (free), Fri, Tap Social (Botley). Atmospheric alt-rock.
Braziers International Film Festival (£), Fri-Sun, Braziers Park, Wallingford. Environmental and experimental films including How to Download a Forest, A Spider's Lunch, and Ż.
Foodies Festival (£), Fri-Sun, South Park. Celebrity chefs, chillis, and cocktails, soundtracked by Boyzlife (Fri), Gareth Gates (Sat), or B*Witched (Sun).
Woodstock Live (free), Fri-Sun, Market Place. The free music festival celebrates its 20th (non-consecutive) year.
Double Yellow Lines (£), Sat, The Nest. 'Junkyard mariachi spirituals' with support from No Worries If Not.
Scalextric Displays (£), Sun/Mon, Oxford Bus Museum. Catch a train to Hanborough to race your own model cars ...
Cowley Classic Car Show (£), Mon, Notcutts Garden Centre. ... Or take the X40 'River Rapids' bus to Golden Balls roundabout for vintage vehicles.
Coffee Rave (free), Mon, Proof Social Bakehouse. 'Crumb & bass' on an industrial estate.
Rollright Stones Family Fun Day (£cheap), Mon, near Chipping Norton. Morris dancing, wood-turning, astronomy and more. (And if you like the Rollright Stones, our occasional reminder to check out the quarterly Northern Earth journal.)

This week

Threads of Home (free), from Tue, Friars Entry. Three Oxford-based British-born East/Southeast Asian artists showcasing motherhood, migration, and choral singing.
Keepin' It Reel (£cheap), Thu, Big Society. The monthly film quiz returns in a new collaboration with the neighbouring Ultimate Picture Palace.
Agrippa (£), Fri, Sheldonian Theatre. Robert Harris in conversation about his latest historical thriller, set in ancient Rome.
The Archers: Live at 75 (£), Fri, New Theatre. Come along to the Ambridge flower show and The Bull pub quiz.

Dates for your diary

A couple of future events we think might get booked up.

The Night Sky Show (£), Sun 27 Sep, New Theatre. Continue the magic of the solar eclipse and the Perseid meteor shower.
How Many Pikachus Would it Take to Power a Lightbulb? (£), Wed 7 Oct, Amey Theatre (Abingdon). Oxford mathematician Tom Crawford (Tom Rocks Maths) talks hobbit insurance and Star Wars ballistics.

Oxfordshire’s independent media

Little Oxplorers has an Oxfordshire bucket list for the Mini Clarions.
Ox in a Box reviews Lee Miller: A Woman At War at Woodstock's Soldiers Of Oxfordshire Museum: WW2 photography, including a stint in Oxford’s Churchill Hospital.
The Oxford Sausage revisits John Towle’s paper house in South Oxford.
Cllr Nathan Ley explains why we're likely to get flooded streets this winter after a heatwave.
And finally, a new website aims to partially fill the large gap left by the demise of the indie music magazine Nightshift. Oxford Gigs pulls together information about gigs in Oxford on a map or a list, with plans for a calendar view. Promoters can also add their own gigs.

Notes from Clarion HQ

The Clarion editorial team will be far and wide this weekend doing things other than shepherding Oxfordshire news, so we won’t be publishing a newsletter on Tuesday: your next Clarion newsletter will be on Friday 4 September. As always, we’re at news@oxfordclarion.uk for your comments, tips, suggestions or just occasional musings. Have a great weekend!