The Clarion, 21 April 2026

Riders celebrated the life of Jonny Ives with a ride through Oxford's cobbled streets on Saturday. (Photo by Roger Close.)

MPs with pandas, ‘Quarry Roubaix’, tiny bugs, a 10-hour choral marathon, more trains. We love writing about this city. And then there’s potholes…

This week’s long reads

We know, we don't write about potholes. But they’ve been front page news in almost every other news outlet in the country – particularly when Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander hit an Oxfordshire pothole on the Charlbury–Burford road recently. So (deep breath) we took an in-depth look at what causes them: climate change, heavier cars, council funding, politics and more.

Ever commented on a planning application? Full marks for being an engaged citizen. But did you realise your name and address would be visible to the world? We look at a privacy leak in local democracy… and ask why it’s one rule for the public, another for councillors.

(We have half a dozen more long reads working their way to the top of the pile. Watch this space! And as ever, if you find them interesting, or useful, do share them with a friend, or seventeen...)

This week’s top stories

Oxfordshire’s Special Educational Needs provision is officially no longer ‘failing’. The improvement notice issued in 2023 after an Ofsted inspection has been lifted, with Secretary of State Bridget Phillipson noting “significant progress” in reducing waiting times and commissioning services. The Government letter also cited better listening to children and parents. In her letter, the Secretary of State noted that this achievement required "significant commitment, determination and hard work" from staff and local leadership.

For Oxfordshire County Council, Cllr Sean Gaul said: ”We are committed to this and will continue to engage and listen to children, young people with SEND and their families as part of our improvement journey.” Dr Nick Broughton from NHS Thames Valley added: “We know, however, that this is not the end of the journey. There is still more to do to ensure services are consistently timely, joined up and responsive, and to rebuild confidence with families.”

Cowley Road’s Ultimate Picture Palace has been debated in Parliament after an intervention by Oxford East MP Anneliese Dodds. She said arguments over the cinema’s lease highlighted “the need for government support for community assets”. The cinema operators say that to successfully bid for funds, they need a longer lease than the one offered to them by landlords Oriel College.

“The Ultimate Picture Palace is the only remaining independent cinema in Oxford and a real landmark on Cowley Road. At a time when thousands of community assets have closed, the Ultimate Picture Palace stands as a reminder that a different model is possible — and that it works. But the landlord for this community‑owned asset, Oriel College, will not commit to a long‑term lease.”

In a statement, Oriel said: “We are proud of our heritage cinema, the UPP, and are in dialogue with the new managers about how to ensure it remains open to the wider public. We have no plans to extend the lease at this early stage in the tenancy.” The lease, which began in 2022, expires in 2037.

Around the city

Oxford University Hospitals have this month welcomed Ukrainian clinicians in Orthopaedics. They spent time in the Trauma Service at the JR, and the Limb Reconstruction Service at the Nuffield Orthopaedic Centre, observing both emergency and planned complex surgeries. The clinicians also shared their own experience of delivering healthcare under pressure, in wartime – saying that as they often work with smaller teams and fewer resources, it was valuable to see how a large multidisciplinary system operates.
Simon Hurst, of the Oxford Trauma Service, said: “It was a privilege to host Anatolii and Anna. We learned a great deal from their experience of delivering high-volume trauma care under extraordinary pressures. Exchanges like this ultimately help improve patient care in both countries.”

New cafe news: The building currently trading as Tourist Information on Broad Street is set to be converted to ‘Roll and Bowl Cafe’. A premises license application has been lodged for the sale of alcohol until 7pm. Planning permission was granted to convert the listed building to a cafe in 2025. 15 and 16 Broad Street have a fascinating history: no 15 (right) has been a lodging house, a home for a saddler, and a watchmaker, while no 16 (the grey one on the left) was once occupied by a stationer and their family, just before it was run as a public library. It has also been a boarding house and a bank.
Next month is the centenary of the 1926 General Strike. In Oxford, railwaymen walked out alongside printing workers from Oxford University Press, while students tried to break the strike. Local trade unionists will mark the anniversary on three successive Saturdays.
On Saturday 2 May, the Oxford branch of the Trades Union Council will march along Cowley Road behind a newly commissioned union banner. The following Saturday is Levellers' Day in Burford; this annual event commemorates a mutiny by soldiers during the Civil War. And on Saturday 16 May, a new play about the General Strike in Oxford will be premiered at the Museum of Oxford, with music from radical choir Sea Green Singers. Local playwright Peter Cann has previously dramatised the history of the Florence Park estate.

Cllr Fiona Mawson outside Sainsbury's Kidlington.

Around the county

Abingdon retail, part 1: Marks & Spencer is coming to town. A new M&S food hall opens at 8am tomorrow in Fairacres Retail Park, taking over the space formerly occupied by Homebase.
Abingdon retail, part 2: As one comes, another goes: the former Barclays Bank at The Square is proposed for redevelopment into eight flats, with another four on the site of the former shoe warehouse behind. (Spotted by the excellent Abingdon Blog, which we’re sure all our Abingdon readers follow, but just in case…)
Families and curious minds are invited to experience the Luminarium, a walk-through art installation at Harwell Campus from 29 May. An immersive inflatable sculpture will feature tunnels, soaring domes and radiant chambers in an “an ever-changing calming sensory experience”. Rebecca Duvall, Harwell Campus, said: “We're delighted to be bringing Luminarium to Harwell. Light has been central to the campus since its earliest days of scientific discovery, so this installation feels like a fitting and inspiring nod to both our heritage and our future.” Tickets go on sale soon. Harwell's history with light includes the pioneering Central Laser Facility, the Extreme Photonics Applications Centre, the Diamond Light Source and more recently, photonics-based quantum computing.
Following a campaign to get Sainsbury’s to clean up the area around their Pioneer Square store in Bicester, Kidlington district councillor Fiona Mawson has called on them to take more pride in the appearance of the area around the Kidlington store, too. She says that, at present, Cherwell District Council has to pay to keep the area tidy, particularly in the alley adjacent to the Sainsbury’s store car park. She highlighted overgrown foliage, plastic gloves stuck in the hedge, litter and graffiti – a recurring issue since at least 2020.
Cllr Mawson commented that despite efforts to contact them, the retailer didn't seem to be interested. “It’s outrageous that huge companies are seemingly happy for local taxpayers to foot the bill for maintaining their store estate, and to rely on the goodwill of local volunteer litter-pickers.”
Specialist support for victims of stalking is to be extended for two years, say Thames Valley Police. The service, which offers practical advice, trauma-informed emotional support, and advocacy for victims of stalking, has supported 274 people in the last year. Matthew Barber, Police and Crime Commissioner for Thames Valley, said: “Stalking is a psychological as well as a physical crime and has a devastating impact on victims and their feelings of safety. I am delighted to have confirmed this funding extension to ensure this vital provision continues.”

Oxfordshire politics

Hot on the heels of Labour and the Greens, Oxford’s Liberal Democrats have launched their manifesto for May’s City Council elections.

The LibDems’ most eye-catching line is a commitment to “ensure new homes outpace new demand from commercial and other uses” – in other words, lab space. Launching the manifesto, Cllr Chris Smowton, Liberal Democrat city group leader, said:

“The Liberal Democrats will prioritise homes over commercial development to address the cost of living crisis Labour have exacerbated. They have failed to deliver enough affordable housing for local people. We want the City Council to invest in better housing and community infrastructure. Better greener, public spaces will support a sustainable city, promoting community cohesion and the environment, in the face of fractured politics and a nature and climate crisis.”

Away from the polished words of manifestos, let’s head to the rather scrappier campaign trail… and see if the MPs’ itineraries give us any hints as to the most fiercely contested seats.

Former Green Party leader Carla Denyer, and Labour for Trans Rights.

Former Green Party leader Carla Denyer came to Oxford for a huge action day, dropping in on the UPP and Refugee Resource on Cowley Road – it’s no secret that the areas immediately east of the Plain have been swinging Green in recent elections. Meanwhile, the Trans Rights for Labour group headed to Headington Hill & Northway and Barton & Sandhills to “get trans allies re-elected to the City Council”.

If you came here for the politics, and you missed it on Friday, may we point you to our read on Political Pets? Just for fun.

Banbury MP Sean Woodcock was out campaigning in both Chipping Norton (set to be closely fought) and Banbury Ruscote. He signed an open letter to Ofwat because, as regular readers of the Clarion will know, not a week can go by without at least one MP writing a letter on water (is there a secret rota?) He called out the County Council's 'amber' rating on potholes, which we’ve dissected in a long read. But it’s not all party politics: his piece for Progress on digital exclusion and social progress was praised by LibDem councillor Nathan Ley (“nice work”).
Bicester & Woodstock MP Calum Miller is the LibDem Foreign Affairs spokesperson. This week he is not impressed with Donald Trump’s “reckless blockade” or Iran’s “banditry”. As a former civil servant in Downing Street, he has first-hand experience of the vetting procedure: his scathing social media thread on Peter Mandelson’s appointment was widely picked up by Fleet Street, and evolved into an op-ed for the Telegraph. In Parliament he asked the Minister about waiting lists for children and adolescents with mental health needs. Oh, and he wants to rejoin the EU. Probably. Quiet week then?
Witney MP Charlie Maynard is doing a passable David Attenborough impression in this video of snakehead fritillaries in Ducklington. In a debate in Westminster, he asked for urgent action on the price of heating oil.

Oxford East MP Anneliese Dodds joined the Oxford Women's Community nature walk. And she urged people not to forget the conflict in Sudan, as it entered its third year.

Oxford West & Abingdon MP Layla Moran attended Abingdon Clubs & Societies Day. In Parliament she brought the issue of Summertown’s GP surgery to the Health Secretary to intervene and accelerate the process – echoes of similar difficulties in Woodstock, Didcot, and anywhere there has been housing growth. Moran, however, is Health & Social Care Select Committee Chair, which gives her a better position than most to focus attention on the issue.

Didcot & Wantage MP Olly Glover was on BBC Radio 5 speaking about the ceasefire in Iran, the rise in shoplifting, and the challenges facing the hospitality industry. He's on a mission to visit all GP surgeries in the constituency, as part of a campaign for GP surgeries to open before new housing developments are complete. (There is a petition, of course.) He was at an event for the Didcot Powerhouse Fund to tackle inequality and deprivation (still workshopping that Didcot hashtag…). Here's his roundup.

Henley & Thame MP Freddie van Mierlo has no local elections in his constitutency, so he has been campaigning in Wokingham which is in (checks atlas) Berkshire. Still, we might all be part of the same mayoral authority soon, so maybe he's building relationships. He's also been learning to braid on what we think (hope) is a disembodied mannequin head. As for the panda, it’s the symbol of Pediatric Autoimmune Neuropsychiatric Disorders Associated with Streptococcal infections (PANDAS); this week he met the UK Youth Board which raises awareness of the condition.
And we’re not done with water yet! In Parliament, he introduced a bill to stop water companies negotiating away fines, saying the law currently lets them off the hook. (More coverage over at the BBC.) 50 MPs signed a letter asking the Prime Minister to back it, including all the LibDem Oxfordshire MPs.

Enjoy this excellent picture of a police dog puppy being taken to Didcot police station.

Thames Valley Police & Crime Commissioner Matthew Barber this week spent some time with new recruits at TVP, outlining the work the police are doing to help cut crime. He attended the Wantage Chamber 0f Commerce to talk about retail crime and business rates. He’s continuing his campaign on “criminality on the High Street”, writing to the Policing Minister urging her to give police more powers to close criminal businesses after legislation was blocked in the Commons. Here's a short video explaining more… and here's his week in his own words.

Predatory insects (shown larger than actual size) and Daniel Bardey (shown smaller than actual size). Photos via Oxford Brookes.

University and research

Oxford Brookes researchers have discovered a new species of a tiny predatory insect with a pineapple-shaped gland that helps it attract/manipulate the ants that it lives with. The 2mm long bug was discovered in Australia, and is part of the feather-legged assassin bug family. But its extreme miniaturisation means that its feathery hairs are much smaller, while its larger and more specialised antennae potentially help it chemically mimic ants. Daniel Bardey, the PhD student who discovered the bug, said: “That’s what makes this species so exciting. It appears to be a transitional form that shows how features like this gland were lost and gained during the evolutionary history of these insects.”
Making more vegetarian choices available in cafeterias boosts take-up of plant based options, saving calories and carbon emissions, according to researchers at the University of Oxford. When canteen managers swapped one meat-based lunch option for a vegetarian dish, keeping prices, choice and all other menu features the same, the likelihood of choosing a vegetarian main increased by 41% – with no evidence of reduced revenue, fewer meals sold, or increased food waste. Eliza Becker from the Nuffield Department of Primary Care Health Sciences said: “Instead of placing the burden on consumers, we found that simply offering more options that are better for health and the environment, shifts eating behaviour.”
Turl Street in central Oxford will close for a college ball this weekend. Neighbours and traditional rivals Jesus and Exeter will join forces for a street party between their two sites, closing the road 6pm Saturday to 5am Sunday. Tickets cost from £45 to £180. The theme of the ball on 25 April is ‘Journey to Middle Earth: A Long Expected Party’. J.R.R. Tolkien was an undergraduate at Exeter College, while Jesus College is historically Oxford's Welsh college, connecting it with Tolkien's interest in Celtic mythology.
Heart problems in cancer survivors could be detected more quickly as a result of a €50m European research project involving Oxford University Hospitals. Chemotherapy can damage heart health, but PET scans for cancer could potentially double up as heart scans. Daniel McGowan from the Department of Medical Physics explains: “When a person has a PET scan to check on their cancer, we could effectively give them a free heart check at the same time. The single PET scan could answer two questions at once.”

Trains and buses

Chiltern Railways are planning to ramp up services in December. A new timetable will see more trains throughout the day from Banbury and Bicester North to both London Marylebone and Birmingham Moor Street, plus an extra service to Stratford-upon-Avon. The new Chiltern Explorer trains on this Banbury route will free up more of Chiltern’s ‘Clubman’ fleet for Oxford services, many of which are currently operated with early-90s commuter stock. The timetable is currently with Network Rail for review.
Plans for a massive railfreight interchange at Ardley, on the Chiltern mainline north of Bicester and close to M40 junction 10, have been submitted to Government. The plans envisage over 600,000 square metres of rail-connected warehouses, plus new roads to cope with the HGV traffic including an Ardley village bypass and Middleton Stoney relief road. The promoters have pitched it as a Nationally Significant Infrastructure Project (like Botley West Solar Farm) where central Government, not local councils, makes the decision.
The latest work at the Botley Road rail bridge has seen ‘collision protection beams’ installed on the eastern side, to stop overheight vehicles putting the railway out of action. Network Rail says it is still on track to reopen the road by 31 August. At first, however, only the southern walkway will be available, plus the new pedestrian bridge over Botley Road. The northern walkway (currently in use) will be re-fitted and open towards the end of the year. Work will then move on to the new platform 5 and western entrance, continuing from 2027 to 2029.
Oxford Bus Company says that it contributed £170m to the UK economy in 2025 – including £80m through direct employment and tax, £30m through suppliers’ staff and taxes, and £90m induced as staff and suppliers spend their earnings in wider economy. OBC is Oxfordshire’s largest bus operator, employing 1150 people across brands which also include City Sightseeing Oxford, Pulhams and Thames Travel.

Music

Tallis and Muhly. We *love* reporting on this stuff.

A 10-hour choral marathon takes place at St Mary Magdalen in Oxford city centre this Saturday. The church’s choir will be singing the complete choral works of Thomas Tallis (1505-1585) in an event winningly titled Tallis in Wonderland, from 10.15am. Joining the Mary Mags choir, directed by Will Dawes, will be “friends from choirs across the country and a team of choral directors from across Oxford”. The 93-piece running order sets out each start time to the nearest five seconds, but what you really need to know is that ‘Spem in alium’ is at 7.45pm. Donations are invited for the work of the church and choir.
Composer Nico Muhly (recently appointed as composer-in-residence at Christ Church) explains the background to With Eys Lift Up, his new album of music written for Magdalen College Choir.

Remembering Jonny Ives

L’Étape du Jonny. Photos by Roger Close.

Oxford’s cyclists turned out in the sunshine on Saturday to remember cycle campaigner Jonny Ives, who died in 2024.

The ride paid homage to the ‘Quarry Roubaix’ rides Jonny used to organise for Oxford Bike Week over all the cobblestones he could find in the city – a homage to the famous Paris-Roubaix ride and its pavé. Riders shouted “Secteur!” as they approached the cobbles.

“He taught me all I knew about bikes and cycling,” said one ride attendee remembering this tireless cycle campaigner. The ride passed the Royal Blenheim – where many Cyclox decisions were taken following meetings in the Town Hall – before heading to a finish line at Parson's Pleasure, in University Parks.

The route from Edgeway through Mesopotamia used to be a walking route; after 13 years of campaigning, bridges were built to improve the path, but were pedestrian-only. More campaigning led to the route being opened by cyclists, with two bridges eight seconds’ riding apart. At Jonny’s suggestion, they were named Lemond Bridge and Fignon Bridge after the legendary 1989 Tour de France battle, where Greg LeMond beat Laurent Fignon to the yellow jersey by 8 seconds after three weeks and thousands of kilometres of racing.

Jonny was a journalist as well as a campaigner, editing the Headington Occasional magazine and writing about cycling – such as this piece about the bridges for Cyclox. As former Cyclox chair Alison Hill observed, every time we cross the bridges, we will remember the legendary Tour de France riders, and we will remember Jonny.

Notes from Clarion HQ

Several of your Clarion scribes are Tour de France aficionados (and seething that it’s no longer on free-to-air TV). Some of us will admit to being old enough to have watched that 1989 finale on Channel 4’s highlights programme. What we really want right now, though, is a Belgian beer café where we can watch the spring classics. After all, Worcester has one. With Smurfs. Any free space in the Covered Market? See you on Friday.