Clarion Weekend, 6 November 2026

Winter is coming. (Photo by Roger Close.)

National acclaim for the UPP, the Ashmolean in colour, events ranging from the organist of Notre Dame to fuzzy emo and 18th century feminist courtroom drama, and… German Doner Kebab? Plus a never-ending stream of new developments from the north of the county, all in your weekend round-up.

This week’s long reads

The Thames Valley is getting an elected mayor. Is Oxfordshire ready for crucial decisions to be taken outside the county – in Reading, Bracknell or Swindon? Matthew Barber, Thames Valley Police & Crime Commissioner, asks if the new role is “smoke and mirrors” – and points out that new funding would only pay for 72cm of the Botley Road bridge.

Feeling sporty? A little outdoorsy? How about adding spikes, mud and long standing inter-club rivalry? Ed King writes for the Clarion on the dubious pleasures of cross country running. Glorious writing, for runners and non-runners alike. Enjoy.

This week’s top stories

Three new streets in Blackbird Leys have been named after women who shaped the area – two former Lord Mayors and councillors, Barbara Gatehouse and Val Smith, as well as fundraiser Aurora James. The streets are part of the 84-home Aviary shared ownership development on Knights Road.

Andrew Smith, husband of Val and former Oxford East MP, spoke at the unveiling. For the City Council, Cllr Linda Smith (Lab) said:

“All three women gave so much to Blackbird Leys and the people who live here. I was particularly struck by something Andrew said in his dedication, about how the new roads and walkway seemed to reflect the personalities of the three women being honoured. I think that's a lovely way of looking at it. Their names will become part of everyday life here, and a lasting reminder of the people who helped shape this community.”

The Ultimate Picture Palace on Cowley Road has been shortlisted for Cinema of the Year at the British Independent Film Awards. Five cinemas made the shortlist from almost 80 entries. BIFA says: “Independent cinemas have battled back from the pandemic amid rising costs, with some much-loved venues closing for good, but audiences now returning in force. A renewed love of film, and of the shared experience of watching it on the big screen, is bringing people back to local venues.” UPP chair Alastair Phillips said: “This proves how important the Ultimate Picture Palace is, not just to our large and diverse Oxford audience but to the whole nation.” The winner will be announced on 6 December.

Meanwhile, the UPP reports that it it is in “positive talks” with landlords Oriel College about the impasse concerning the current lease, expiring in 2037, which the cinema argues is too short to secure funding for modernisation works.

Oxfordshire councillors have voted for stronger action on illegal electric (motor)bikes and scooters. Legal e-bikes only provide electric assistance at speeds up to 15.5mph and require pedalling at all times, while e-scooters cannot be used on the public highway – except as part of an official hire scheme.

Cllr Brad Baines (Lab) brought a motion to Tuesday’s full council meeting, calling for stronger police action and national legislation. The motion came following calls by Oxford East MP Anneliese Dodds in the Commons for a joined-up response across Whitehall, urging the Department for Transport to bring together other government departments with responsibility for the issue. Cllr Baines said:

“I am really pleased that local councillors have backed Labour’s call for tougher action on these illegal vehicles. I regularly talk to residents across my division who are increasingly worried to cross the road or cycle around for fear of being hit. Speeding e-bikes and e-scooters are a major road safety risk.”

However, after a Green amendment was passed noting that “mopeds, motorbikes, cars, and vans” also speed, Conservative and Independent councillors withdrew their support – though not without their leader Cllr Liam Walker extolling Voi scooters which allowed him to “whizz from the train station at great speed, overtaking Cllr Epps who had decided to walk”.

Three other motions were passed:

A LibDem motion called for stronger action to tackle violence against women and girls, asking Thames Valley Police to respond to concerns about sufficient resources. Cllr Toyah Overton (LibDem) pointed out: “Violence against women and girls begins with attitudes and misogyny being dismissed as jokes, with online abuse being normalised, and with people encouraging hostility towards women without considering where it might lead.” The motion was passed unanimously.
A Green motion called for recognition of an ecological emergency, where the biodiversity and nature depletion informs all aspects of future council work. Cllr Emma Markham said: “As someone from a farming background representing a rural community, I know that productive agriculture depends on healthy soils, clean water, pollinators and thriving ecosystems. Yet these natural assets are under increasing pressure. Declining insect populations threaten crop production, increase costs and weaken food security.” The motion passed with majority support, with the Conservative/Independent group abstaining.
A Conservative motion called for an increased focus on men’s mental health. After a debate in which councillors recounted stories from their own lives, including Cllr David Henwood (Ind) speaking of his personal experience of homelessness and suicidal thoughts, proposer Cllr James Plumb said: “It’s been a real privilege to hear some of the personal reflection around the room – it shows how prevalent an issue this really is. By just having this conversation today we are setting a good example for opening up about men’s mental health.” Again, the motion was passed unanimously.

Around the city

Re-colouring the Shrine of Taharqa. (Photo by Fisher Studios, courtesy Ashmolean Museum.)

The Shrine of King Taharqa, centre of the Ashmolean’s Egyptian gallery, has been digitally coloured to recreate its original appearance - rather than the plain sandstone we see today. A digital projection will shine colours including rare ‘Egyptian blue’ onto its carved surface. Egyptian blue is thought to have been reserved for specific divine figures and imagery; Xa Sturgis, director of the Ashmolean, said “Many of the stone monuments and statues of the ancient world in our museums were once brightly coloured.” Built between 690–654 BCE by King Taharqa, it originally stood within the great temple of the god Amun-Re at Kawa in northern Sudan – excavated in the 1930s by Oxford University expeditions directed by the first Professor of Egyptology, Francis Llewellyn Griffith. The new installation, which will be open to view from 13 November, marks the 90th anniversary of the shrine's arrival at the Ashmolean in 1936.
Healthy eating news: German Doner Kebab has opened its first Oxford branch at 134 Cowley Road, near Cycle King. The chain offers five-a-day delights such as ‘The OG Kebab Boss Box’ and ‘Berliner Donut Bites’. Meanwhile, burger restaurant 7bone opened on Monday in the site of the former George Street Social. 7bone’s range includes ‘Donnie J Trump’, with an American cheese-stuffed patty, deep fried pizza cheese, burger relish, a “tiny handful of lettuce”, and a Wotsit topping.
The Oxford Artisan Distillery (TOAD) in South Park is a step closer to re-opening, confirming its new board of directors. As we reported previously, it has secured the lease on Cheney Farm, gained planning permission to restore the mothballed distillery, and re-acquired the custom-built stills. When it reopens, the site will include enhanced visitor experiences, tasting rooms and dining spaces. New chair Don Woodward, formerly of Ardgowan Distillery, said the aim was to “combine farming provenance with cutting edge eco-engineering and a clear cause”.

The inaugural cohort of Science Oxford Scholars. (Photo by Ed Nix.)

In Oxford we trust: Twenty young people from local state schools and colleges will gain first-hand experience of STEM careers through the new Science Oxford Scholarship Programme. Ronnie Guthrie, the Oxford Trust’s STEM Careers Lead, said: “By reducing barriers to access, we're helping ensure that more young people can see a future for themselves in STEM.” We wrote about the Oxford Trust and the incredible legacy of its founders last year.
Oxford's annual Remembrance ceremony will take place this Sunday morning. Military, civic, and faith groups will process along St Giles' to lay wreaths at the war memorial, in tribute to all whose lives have been impacted by war. The road will be closed until 2pm.
On Armistice Day, Wednesday 11 November, Lord Mayor Chewe Munkonge will lead a ceremony at Oxford Town Hall with two minutes' silence at 11am. The Town Hall will fly the Union Jack on Remembrance Sunday and the Royal British Legion flag on Armistice Day. Two concerts will mark Remembrance weekend: Schola Cantorum, the chamber choir of Oxford University, have a programme of 'Music for Remembrance' in Pusey House on Saturday, and Kidlington Concert Brass perform 'A Concert of Remembrance' in Exeter Hall on Sunday.

Around the county

Billionaire building: American billionaire and Soho Farmhouse owner Ron Burkle will get to build his mansion in Little Tew, near the North Oxfordshire country club, after all. A Government planning inspector overturned the council’s refusal, saying the plans were “truly outstanding and reflect the highest standards of architecture”. West Oxfordshire District Council decided partway through the September inquiry that it would no longer contest the appeal. It had previously argued the building would not “raise standards of design in rural areas” – but the inspector called it “a coherent and highly resolved overall composition”. The inspector conceded that “future occupiers of the proposed dwelling would be heavily reliant upon journeys by private car”, perhaps understating the potential for modal shift to private helicopter. Burkle’s $2bn fortune is mostly derived from US grocery chains. (And if you want some architectural horrors to while away your afternoon, here’s McMansion Hell.)
Meanwhile, a 40-home development on the edge of the West Oxfordshire village of Aston has been refused by planners. Croudace Homes had proposed 40% affordable housing with a mix of 2, 3 and 4-bed homes. Council officers said it would be “a significant encroachment into the open countryside”. They also cited its impact on the village Conservation Area: “Whilst outside the designated boundary, officers consider that the site forms part of the wider agricultural landscape which contributes positively to the significance and setting of the CA.”
Historic England has updated their Heritage at Risk register, with St Olave in Fritwell, North Oxfordshire, being added. The Grade II* church is noted as being in “very bad” condition and “at immediate risk of further deterioration”, with a solution agreed but not yet implemented.
In (rather lovely) peak Church of England news, a Banbury woman who has raised £70,000 by selling jam and cakes over the last 54 years has been awarded the Fellowship of St Birinus. Betty Harrison, a parishioner at St Mary’s, raised the money for Katharine House Hospice and for the church. St Birinus was the first Bishop of Dorchester, between 634 and 649AD. The award was created in 2009 as a way of honouring people who have given exceptional service to their church and community.

Is it us or does this look like a big Scalextric set?

Traffic is now using the first section of the HIF1 road being built north of Didcot at a cost of £330m. The A415 has been rerouted along the first part of the Clifton Hampden bypass near Culham. When complete, the bypass around the village will provide a faster route to the Golden Balls roundabout. The 1.4-mile route, which makes up £37m of the total cost, also includes segregated walking and cycling paths, although these will not continue along the existing road to Golden Balls. John Deery, for contractors Graham, said: “It’s a great feeling to see cars on the new road.”
Fancy buying a pub with a campsite? An iconic Oxfordshire country pub is going up for auction with a guide price of just £175,000 – though the realised price may be much higher. The Gate Hangs High, just outside the North Oxfordshire brewery village of Hook Norton, has letting rooms and a campsite. The pub was built on a drovers’ route 200 years ago, providing sustenance to drovers bringing cattle from Wales for sale at Banbury’s cattle market. It provided a place of safety after venturing through an area “infertile, boggy and infested with robbers”.
Ethical, local investment?: Low Carbon Hub, a social enterprise which develops community-owned renewable energy projects in Oxfordshire, is building the first ever community-owned solar park with battery storage integrated from the start. Common Lot Solar & Battery Park, beside the A44 at Yarnton, will be a new 7.4MW solar park with 10MWh of battery storage – big enough to power over 3,000 homes a year. Construction is due to start in the spring: Low Carbon Hub is aiming to raise at least £500,000 through community shares. CEO Barbara Hammond said: “While there are lots of new solar parks being developed in Oxfordshire, we do things differently: our clean energy projects are owned by the community with 100% of our profits funding other community benefit activities.”
Wantage Library is set for a major refurbishment next year, funded by developer contributions, including a transformed children’s area, new books and dedicated spaces to work and study. Cllr Neil Fawcett (LibDem) said: “Wantage Library is a place where people can discover books, study, meet others and take part in community events. As the library approaches its 35th anniversary, these improvements will help it serve our growing community for years to come.”
Wantage Scout Group have been awarded £120,000 funding by Vale of White Horse District Council, to refurbish their kitchen, replace heating, and insulate the building. Funding came from developer funds from Wantage's Crab Hill development.
A controversial warehouse development by junction 9 of the M40 has been approved by Cherwell councillors – the latest in a sprawl of warehouses on key routes into Bicester. The 50-hectare site will see nine new buildings constructed to join the existing Siemens Healthineers complex, although Siemens themselves raised concerns about additional traffic. Cherwell District Council was recently placed into ‘special measures’ for planning, meaning that developers can choose to apply directly to the Government.
At the same meeting last night, 500 new houses were approved on the edge of Woodstock, to be developed by the Blenheim Estate. The development to the northeast of the Bladon Roundabout, technically in Shipton-on-Cherwell parish, will be close to a proposed new Park & Ride. Two other massive developments in North Oxfordshire, the Puy du Fou theme park and the next stage of the Heyford Park ‘new town’, are expected to be considered by councillors in the next few months.
Banbury Town Council has passed a motion to explore a voluntary community toilet scheme, a register of town centre businesses willing to open up their facilities to the public free of charge. It aims to boost accessibility across the high street. The initiative takes inspiration from Community Toilet Schemes across the UK and will be developed in partnership with local traders and advocacy groups, including Age Friendly Banbury. Cllr Andy Eaton (Lab), proposer of the motion, said: “People shouldn't have to worry about finding a loo when they're out in town. By teaming up with local shops and Age Friendly Banbury, we can ensure the scheme meets proper accessibility standards and addresses mobility barriers for older residents.”

HALO, a 360° projection of lights and sounds tracking particle trails and collisions (photo by Kaleido Shoots)

A new immersive artwork at Harwell Campus invites people to step inside the world of subatomic physics, as HALO transforms data on particle collisions from CERN, slowed to human speeds, into an experience of light, sound and movement. HALO is created by artists Ruth Jarman and Joe Gerhardt, working together as Semiconductor. They say: “With HALO, the data becomes something you can move through and listen to, as well as see. We hope visitors come away with a different sense of the complexity hidden within the world around us.” HALO will take place at Tech Foundry 3, as part of Harwell's year-long Light Project which also includes Power Flow Yoga and a Silent Disco (with bar).
Neighbourhood Plans aren’t usually controversial. Planning documents drawn up by parish councils or similar ‘qualifying bodies’, they become statutory, very localised planning guidance for the area and come with funding advantages. But the ‘mid-Cherwell’ area between Heyford, Kirtlington and Ardley, where major housing and warehouse developments are proposed, isn’t so simple. Originally approved in 2019, the Mid-Cherwell Neighbourhood Plan has now been revised to cover a donut-shaped area excluding Heyford Park, which will have its own plan. Housing developers and landowners, however, are contesting the development limits set out in the draft plan, and in particular the ‘Local Gaps’ which set out clear green space between villages. The planning inspector will hold an in-person hearing next Thursday at Steeple Aston Village Hall.
Also at Heyford Park, surveys commissioned by housing developer Dorchester report low levels of PFAS (‘forever chemicals’) on the site. After local campaigners repeatedly raised concerns about ground pollution from firepits on the former airbase, Dorchester commissioned consultants Stantec to dig 17 hand-excavated pits across the site. A 156-page report concluded: “In the majority of samples, PFAS concentrations were not recorded above the laboratory limit of detection.” The Environment Agency and Cherwell District Council continue to carry out independent tests.

Walking and cycling

Tiny cyclists can practise in Florence Park on a new temporary track which has been painted on paths by the southern entrance to the park. The 'Budding Riders Circuit' is intended for children aged 2 to 7 to become familiar with road markings. Cycling was officially prohibited in Florence Park until 2024. Oxford City Council is inviting comments from families using the circuit and from other visitors to the park.
Seven new cycle parking locations are proposed across East Oxford – and all of them are on-carriageway, rather than taking space from the pavement. Oxfordshire County Council is also proposing new dedicated parking bays for hire bikes and scooters to prevent them blocking the pavement. The bike parking will be at Bartlemas Road, Catherine Street, East Avenue (x2), Rectory Road (x2) and Worcester Place. The hire bays will be at Bullingdon Road, Circus Street, James Street, Marston Street, Rectory Road and Temple Street. OCC says the site selection “follows requests from residents, councillors, businesses and community organisations”. Consultation is open until 4 December, with a decision to be made in early 2027; similar plans, and parking changes, have also been published for Iffley and Cutteslowe.

This weekend

Anxious and Hairy (£), Fri, Gulp Fiction. Body hair: alluring or embarrassing? Book talk by biologist Dr Judy Wearing.
Darwin's Queer Theory (free/booking), Fri, University Museum. The wonderful world of sexual diversity in evolution.
No. 80 Festival (£), Fri-Sun, The Nest. A 'celebration of otherness' with Big Joanie, Stealing Sheep, and many more.
Ciaran Walsh Liberation Library launch (free), Sat, Fusion Arts. The book collection of radical local historian Ciaran Walsh, who died last year, now available for the people.
Oxford Round Table Fireworks (£), Sat, South Park. Low-noise display at 6.30pm before the main event at 7.15pm. Oxford Bus Company will be providing an extra shuttle bus between Thornhill Park & Ride and South Park, providing a combined frequency of every five minutes until late in the evening. Elsewhere, Daily Info have all the fireworks around the county.
Remembrance Sunday service (free), Sun, St Giles'. Military, civic, and faith groups process to the war memorial for two minutes' silence at 11 a.m.

This week

Shesh Besh (£), Mon, venue tba. Arab and Jewish musicians from Israel perform Western and Middle Eastern classical repertoire.
Force Majeure (£), Tue, Iffley Village Hall. The 2014 Swedish black comedy (originally Turist) presented by Iffley Film Nights.
Vincent Dubois (£), Tue, Christ Church Cathedral. Recital by the organist of Notre-Dame (yes, that Notre-Dame), stepping in for Olivier Latry due to illness. At this time of Remembrance, the programme includes not only a work by Jehan Alain (killed in the Battle of Saumur in 1940) but Maurice Duruflé’s stunning tribute to him.
The Story of the Welsh Migration to Oxford (£), Wed, Museum of Oxford. Told through the history of Oxford Welsh Male Voice Choir.
Love After Life (£), Wed, Pusey House. A chance to handle mourning jewellery with the Edgar Wind Society for the history of art.
When is a Dog Not a Dog? (free), Wed, Florence Park Community Centre. The evolution of human-canine friendship. Dogs welcome.
The Welkin (£), Wed-Sun, O'Reilly Theatre. Feminist courtroom drama set in 18th-century Suffolk.
The Art of Microscopy (free), Thu, Jesus College. Exhibition and exploration of miniature worlds, for ages 12+.
Soot Sprite (£), Thu, The Library. A night of fuzzy emo from Divine Schism, with local support from Aftercare and solo project Sandi Toxic.
The North American Indigenous Songbook (£), Thu, Holywell Music Room. UK premiere of pieces by Native American and First Nations composers.

Coming soon

Next weekend: Christmas Light Festival in the city centre, Victorian Christmas Market on Broad Street, Coffee Festival in Osney Mead, Oxfolk Ceilidh in Kennington, Abingdon Funfair & Fireworks, and ‘Spirit’, a play in the Cornmarket Painted Room.

Oxfordshire’s independent media

Cherwell profiles the (joint) Oxford Universities ~~Quidditch~~ Quadball Club and celebrates ten years of Spiced Roots.
The Oxford Sausage photographs another set of mercy seats for All Souls Day.
Hybrid Magazine from Oxford Brookes looks at the difference between the most and least LGB+ populated constituencies.
Press Gazette realises that the secret of the Oxford Mail’s success is not actually “local breaking news”, but writing about Jeremy Clarkson a lot. (Thanks to the reader who namechecked the Clarion in the comments!)
Little Oxplorers have a weekend guide – so many fireworks! And we think this is new from them: an Oxford bucket list. That's our weekends with the Mini Clarions sorted...

Notes from Clarion HQ

Thank you to all those who submitted clean entries for our caption competition and a raised eyebrow at the rest of you. For our money (not that we have any) the winner is Cllr Dan Levy with his caption “You have your carp on back to front”. Cllr Levy wins… a year's subscription to the Clarion!

On Tuesday, we had a team outing to ‘And Red All Over’, a play set in the offices of a struggling Oxfordshire newspaper threatened with closure by its corporate overlords. Will Jim Cloud, the reporter behind worthy council stories which nobody reads, find the scoop of a lifetime… or should he just give up and write about Clarkson instead? Ok, we probably are the target audience for this (at times it felt as though the playwright has been lurking in our group chat), but we enjoyed it hugely. It’s on tonight and tomorrow at the Burton Taylor Studio: book now before your fellow Clarion readers snap up all the tickets. See you on Tuesday.