The Clarion, 3 February 2026

Oxford’s take on “patriotic” lamp-posts.

Botley Road, choral music, flags, pubs (award-winning and political), disgraced alumni and a train toilet nightmare. Happy Tuesday!

This week’s long reads

This week is Oxford Living Wage Week. In a collaboration with Oxford City Council we took a look at why Oxford needs a living wage, and celebrate the trailblazing employers leading the charge in our city.

This week’s top stories

It’s finally happening! The Botley Road rail bridge is being replaced this week. The Clarion’s ace photographer Roger Close joined a tour on Monday to get a first-hand glimpse of the works, and learn more about how a 48-wheel transporter will help manoeuvre the structures into place.

Right now, both the pedestrian underpass and the railway itself are closed. Low-level ‘polybridge’ walkways have been installed at the station, the first time Network Rail have employed them for a major pedestrian route across tracks: they will be used by around 10,000 people a day.

48 wheels on my wagon: the Self-Propelled Modular Transporter with the new walkway.

On Wednesday, the 48-wheel Self-Propelled Modular Transporter will move the concrete box that forms the new walkway and bridge abutment into place. Box sections will then be craned into place on either side.

On Thursday the four spans that make up the main bridge deck will be lifted in, followed on Friday by spans for the future platform 5 and the footbridge. If all goes well, the walkway will open at the weekend.

Local residents removed multiple flags hung around Oxford at the weekend in response to an organised campaign from a group calling themselves Raise The Colours Oxford, who brought activists from the Midlands and Sheffield to “make Oxford look patriotic”.

A resident who did not wish to be named said: “We received information of an organised campaign from people outside of Oxford putting up flags. While we respect the flags, we feel it is being abused by the far right to sow division. While taking them down we received support from locals.”

On St Aldate’s, residents added messages such as “Everyone is welcome here” to lamp-posts from which flags had been hung. When we posted this on Bluesky Clarion correspondents were vocal in their support. A reader from Abingdon wrote:

“I got a good view of the two guys putting up Union flags on the centre of the roundabout – one guy holding the ladder and at his feet a giant box containing flags, the other at the top of the ladder tying them there. After they finished there, they crossed the carriageway with their long ladder and giant box, dodging the traffic. Highly dangerous, aside from the divisive motives behind this campaign. Sooner or later there is going to be a serious accident caused by these people. It will be their fault, but that will be no consolation to anyone they injure, nor their families.”

Oxfordshire County Council recently announced they were taking down flags based on safety grounds. Stand Up To Racism are organising an online petition calling for “immediate action”.

Magdalen's Great Tower and the spiral staircase.

Around the city

A new handrail will be installed on the spiral staircase of Magdalen’s Great Tower to help bleary-eyed choristers reach the roof on May Day morning. Currently, only the lowest third of the tower has a handrail on each side (pictured above). Above there, choristers must hold on single-handed: “Beyond the bell-ringing chamber there is only one handrail located on the outer curve of the spiral staircase extending all the way to the top of the Tower. Final access to the roof is via a short, fixed ladder. The stone steps of the staircase are high and in places the treads are very narrow.”
Magdalen says a risk assessment of May Day celebrations highlighted the need for the new handrail, for which Cotswold blacksmith Ben Prothero has drawn up designs. The age of the existing handrail above the ringing chamber is not known, but is believed to be pre-1940. Oxford City Council has granted listed building consent for the alterations. The planning application documents are particularly interesting and include spiral staircase photos and old maps – look for ‘Heritage Statement’. (And if this is all new to you, we looked at Magdalen’s May Day in a 2024 long read.)
The Royal Blenheim is the winner of Oxford CAMRA's ‘City Pub of the Year’ title, having narrowly lost the title to the Grapes last year. The Grapes came second this year, with the Masons Arms in Headington Quarry again coming third. Micropub the Crafty Pint in Witney retained the rural title it first won in 2025 with another previous winner, the Brewery Tap in Abingdon, coming second. The awards were voted on by local CAMRA members. (Witney and Abingdon are in CAMRA’s Oxford branch, while North and South Oxfordshire have their own branches and their own awards.)
Oxfordshire thinktank POETS have warned that Oxford is “at risk of strangling itself” through uncontrolled development. They say “a dash for growth could worsen congestion and pressure on services and damage the environment which has made Oxfordshire an attractive place to invest, live and visit”.
In their response to the Oxford Growth Commission’s interim report, they call for “major investment in game-changing shifts to public transport and active travel… congestion will deter business investment, but road building is both unaffordable and self-defeating”. Their suggestions include more homes both within the city and on “over-generous employment areas” in new towns such as Salt Cross; public investment in new social housing for rent; and a strategy for Oxfordshire drawn up by all six councils together. POETS’ Katie Barrett said: “Simply issuing targets for growth, identifying more land for development, reducing regulations and limited ad hoc funding will not work in the long-term.” The full response can be read here.
Littlemore residents have voted in favour of a new Neighbourhood Plan, a community-written planning document which sets out development and infrastructure aspirations for the parish. The vote on Thursday saw 547 for, 79 against. It will now be formally taken into account by Oxford City Council whenever planning applications are considered. Many rural Oxfordshire parishes have already adopted Neighbourhood Plans, but Littlemore is currently one of only a few formal parishes within Oxford City.
Magdalen College School, the independent school situated just off the Plain, is to admit girls throughout the school for the first time. Currently the school is boys-only up to GCSE level, and co-educational in the Sixth Form. The first girls will be admitted into Year 3 and Year 4 in 2027, ready for the school’s 550th anniversary in 2030.
MCS was founded in 1480 as the choir school for Magdalen College Chapel, and currently has around 900 pupils – including the 16 choristers. It is currently building a science faculty on Iffley Road. Helen Pike, Master of the school, said: “This is an exciting time for everyone at MCS as we prepare for a new Science, Library & Partnerships Building, build our endowment fund and look ahead to welcoming girls throughout the school.”
An Oxford choir is to sing the complete choral works of 16th century composer Thomas Tallis in a 10-hour marathon with the none-more-Oxford title of “Tallis in Wonderland”. The choir of St Mary Magdalen will be embarking on the event on 25 April; entry will be free, but donations are sought to support the choir’s work. Among the works to be sung will be the complex 40-part motet ‘Spem in alium’, Latin for ‘Hope in any other’ (not to be confused with ‘Spam in allium’, Latin for ‘processed ham in garlic’).
Composer Nico Muhly, who has collaborated with Sufjan Stevens and The National, has been appointed as Christ Church Cathedral’s first Composer in Residence. His first commission was premiered at the Epiphany carol service in January. As well as new compositions, he will work with young musicians at Christ Church Cathedral School, where he recently ran a composition workshop, and with undergraduate students. A Radio 3 documentary this Sunday marked the cathedral choir’s 500th anniversary.
Red Star Chinese Restaurant on Cowley Road has been closed until further notice after being served with a Hygiene Emergency Prohibition Order. Serious hygiene concerns were identified during an Environmental Health inspection, including a rat infestation; extensive mould growth in food preparation areas; open packets of rat poison hanging above cooking oil drums; and an unacceptable standard of cleanliness throughout. For Oxford City Council, Cllr Lubna Arshad said: “We will not hesitate to take enforcement action where food safety standards fall significantly below what the public has a right to expect.”

Around the county

The race is on to re-home 120 ex-commercial laying hens in Didcot before February 8th. The British Hen Welfare Trust is appealing for would-be kind hearted chicken keepers to come forward by 4pm Friday and give the hens a chance at a free range retirement. Andy Hill at the British Hen Welfare Trust said: “Hens can bring so much joy. They’re funny, curious little characters. Plus, they’re still more than happy to pop out the occasional egg. With spring approaching, this is the ideal time to start – and these hens are more than ready for a fresh beginning.”
At 18 months old, the hens have reached the end of their commercial life. Anyone looking to adopt simply needs to offer these hens security, food and water and a little bit of TLC, says the BHWT. To adopt, visit the BHWT website and scroll down to ‘Oxfordshire – Didcot’.
195 new homes are proposed for an infill location in Crowmarsh Gifford, on the edge of Wallingford by the bypass. The development will have tree-lined streets with just 41% of the site as residential use; 57% will be green buffer, an ecological area, or play space. A community use building would be part of the development. An outline application is with South Oxfordshire District Council.
Another week, another Carterton planning application: 165 homes are proposed for the north-western edge of the town, approaching Shilton on the road to Burford. David Wilson Homes have lodged an early-stages application with West Oxfordshire District Council. The site is currently football pitches, which would be reinstated, and arable fields. A planning application was refused here in 2017. (But will there be a station? See below…)
An ironmongers that traces its ancestry back to 1530 is closing. Gill & Co in Chipping Norton was opened 20 years ago as a branch of the long-running Oxford store, which itself closed its doors in 2010. The owners are taking early retirement, but also cited “customer habits changing since Covid, business rates, national insurance and wage increases”. The shop will continue trading until August. Like the former Oxford shop, Gill’s in Chipping Norton is located down an alley off the main shopping street. (Oxford History has more details of the Oxford store.)

Oxfordshire politics

Oxford’s MPs are taking the appeal to fill a £71m funding gap in the Kennington Rail Bridge repairs to central Government. The cost of fixing the bridge on the southern bypass has escalated due to construction inflation and unexpected issues. Labour’s Anneliese Dodds said “the replacement of Kennington Rail Bridge is essential for local people to be able to keep getting around”, while LibDem Layla Moran called it “absolutely critical”.

Onto each MP in turn…

Banbury MP Sean Woodcock (Labour) celebrated government reforms to the leasehold system, the veterinary sector, and the 15% business rates cuts for pubs. More locally he visited Rugrats & Halfpints soft play in Banbury. Hardwick Primary School received a letter from the Education Secretary commending their excellent outcomes for disadvantaged pupils, which he echoed. He's cross about potholes on Southam Road.

Oxford East MP Anneliese Dodds (Labour) welcomed leasehold changes, the Government's new sports club upgrade fund, an imminent ban on plastic wet wipes, and also the government's Warm Homes Plan. She wants action on potholes in Oxfordshire and sensibly reminded constituents about works on the Botley Road meaning rail disruption this week (excellent MP-ing, no notes). She continued a push for improved reporting mechanisms for female cyclists who have been harassed (raise your hand if you are a female cyclist who has not been harassed?). In a frustrated-sounding comment in Parliament, she asked the minister to “get a grip” on issues surrounding disabled medics missing training – particularly relevant given the many hospitals in Oxford East. She met local business and university spinout FluoRok, and hit out against a reduction in bus services in Greater Leys. And finally she appeared on the 'Democracy Differently' podcast talking about populism, community, and the implications of AI.
Bicester & Woodstock MP Calum Miller (LibDem), in a refrain that may be familiar to Clarion readers across Oxfordshire, spoke in Parliament of Bicester being a rapidly growing town where facilities are not keeping up – particularly for the young. He thinks “waste crime is the new narcotics”, saying the Environment Agency's Waste Crime Unit cannot cope with the scale of organised crime, and asking that it become part of the remit of the new National Police Force. He welcomed the 15% business rates cut on pubs and music venues but urged more support, and is not happy about government plans to cut funding for PE in schools. His foreign spokesman beat has taken in Iran and Iraq this week.

Witney MP Charlie Maynard (LibDem), like Miller, welcomed the 15% business rates cut on pubs and music venues but said more needs to be done for hospitality. He was quoted in the FT raising concerns around the government's “unclear plans” for a water regulator. He says the government should let the public buy 'war bonds' to raise £20bn for defence, and wants a new agreement with the EU on agricultural products. Here is his January roundup.
Oxford West & Abingdon MP Layla Moran (LibDem) welcomed the Government’s changes to leasehold rules but wants action on “rip-off service charges”. Locally, she's working with Oxford City Council and other stakeholders to upgrade Summertown Health Centre. In an interview with Total Politics' Women in Westminster series, she talked about what got her into politics and her role as Chair of the Health & Social Care Select Committee.
Didcot & Wantage MP Olly Glover (LibDem) has been on the radio talking about the Rail Passengers Bill, which is going through the committee stage at the moment. He visited St Birinus School and the Woodlands GP Surgery (Didcot GP klaxon!). Like Miller and Maynard, he wants more to be done to support pubs. Here's his weekly roundup, complete with Clarion shout out.

Henley & Thame MP Freddie van Mierlo (LibDem) met with Thame residents to discuss issues with HGVs, and St Mary's Church in Whitchurch to discuss repairs to the church roof (apparently not satire). In Parliament, he asked what opportunity there was for the UK to take a leading role in vaccines, given that the US has recently withdrawn from the World Health Organisation. He asked the Government to support hospitality businesses with an emergency 5% VAT cut, and spoke out in support of the space industry.

Thames Valley Police & Crime Commissioner Matthew Barber (Conservative), has been out delivering his newsletter in Uffington (how did he keep those newspapers dry?). Like the MPs he’s spoken out for local pubs, opposing the rise in alcohol duty, and is unhappy about potholes (classic ‘things floating in giant potholes’ pic). In PCC news, he met with other PCCs and the shadow Home Secretary to discuss the Policing Reform white paper; here are his views on the proposed reforms.

University and research

Former Cherwell columnist, failed candidate for Oxford University Chancellor, ‘Prince of Darkness’, St Catherine’s alumnus and architect of New Labour, Peter Mandelson, has resigned as a member of the Labour Party over links to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. Catz invited the former ambassador to the US to resign his honorary fellowship last year following the first allegations of links with Epstein. Cherwell, for whom he used to write a column, interviewed Mandelson about his time at Oxford and his political career as part of his bid to become Chancellor. (The election was won by Lord William Hague.) Meanwhile, Epstein's accomplice Ghislaine Maxwell was, of course, the daughter of Robert Maxwell, who owned Oxford United and lived in Headington Hill Hall – now Oxford Brookes' law school. He leased it from Oxford City Council, calling it “the best council house in the country”. (You can go further down the rabbit hole in our article on the philanthropists that made Oxford.)
Spanish woman studies tourism at Brookes. (Courtesy of Tatler, who are better than us at telling you who is the fifth child of Crown Prince Pavlos and Princess Marie-Chantal, but less good at spelling “Brookes”.)
Roll over electronics; here come magnonics. A collaboration between Oxford University, ShanghaiTech University, and Diamond Light Source at Harwell has uncovered a new way to communicate without wires, using helimagnetic materials and magnetic ‘spin’ waves. Helimagnetic materials have their atomic magnetism arranged in a spiral; when energised by microwaves these emit spin waves, ‘helimagnons’, which travel across space and cause a neighbouring magnet to rotate its spin in step. The frequency and the handedness of the spin were faithfully transmitted.
“This is the clearest example we’ve seen of a magnetic structure acting as a wireless source of spin waves,” said Shilei Zhang, visiting researcher from ShanghaiTech University. “It is a remarkably clean system,” added Thorsten Hesjedal from Oxford’s Department of Physics. The team used resonant elastic X-ray scattering at Diamond to track the spins with picosecond precision. “The most exciting part was watching the dynamics unfold in real time,” said researcher Ethan Arnold. “That let us reconstruct how the response of one magnet followed the signal from the other.”
A fin(it)e set of 3 𝗑 2² Oxford academics has been appointed to the Academy for the Mathematical Sciences as part of its first intake of Fellows. The Academy brings together mathematicians from academia, business and government to tackle the UK’s biggest challenges. Dame Alison Etheridge, founding President of the Academy and Professor of Probability at Oxford’s Department of Statistics, called them “individuals of exceptional distinction who collectively advance the mathematical sciences”.
Oxford experienced its sunniest year on record in 2025, according to new analysis from the University of Oxford’s Radcliffe Meteorological Station. 2025 was also Oxford’s third warmest year on record, 0.7˚C warmer than the 30-year average from 1991 to 2020. The station has been keeping records since 1772, the longest single-site weather records in the UK: its sunshine records stretch back to 1880. Alice Jardine, Radcliffe Meteorological Station Observer, said: “2025 was yet another warm year at the Radcliffe Meteorological Station, and June in particular set a new record for the warmest since observations began. Comparisons like these highlight the importance of long observational records.”
A play based on a story by an Oxford Brookes nutritionist has been developed into a larger-scale performance and adapted into a children’s book for Oxfordshire’s schools. Lily’s Special Recipe was written by Dr Shelly Coe, Associate Professor of Nutrition Science. The story follows Lily, a young girl discovering new ingredients while enjoying her own family’s tradition. The play highlights how everyday food choices support personal health and environmental sustainability.

Trains and buses

Electrifying the railway to Oxford, “deferred” in 2016 after delays and cost over-runs, looks unlikely to happen according to comments made by GWR boss Mark Hopwood. In a new podcast interview, he says GWR is looking at using battery-powered trains from Didcot to Oxford instead: “At the moment I’m terminating trains from London at Didcot that commercially ought to carry on to Oxford, because that’s where the customers want to go. So we might want a train with a battery on it that could allow us to keep going beyond the limits of electrification. Battery technology has changed enormously… we can use that effectively on the railway.”
In other comments to the Green Signals podcast, he said he was “hopeful” that approval would be given for GWR’s proposed regular service from Oxford to Bristol, and hinted that the uncomfortable seats on GWR’s intercity trains might be refurbished.
Carterton’s future railway station has been pencilled in as part of a 2,500-home development proposed for the town. The Foxbury Garden Community, being brought forward by Bloor Homes on Christ Church-owned land, includes a corridor for a railway running east-west and a North Carterton station. An early-stages application is with West Oxfordshire District Council.
15 more electric buses are coming to the streets of Oxfordshire. Grants awarded by Oxfordshire County Council will help fund 13 new single-deckers for Oxford Bus Company, plus the conversion of two existing diesel minibuses run by Witney-based West Oxfordshire Community Transport to fully electric. Other grants will fund upgrades for community buses in Eynsham and the Bartons. Andrew Lyon from WOCT said: “Conversion of redundant buses is a double win for the environment. As far as we know, this conversion has not been attempted before: if successful, it will provide a template for the future.”
Timetable changes from 22 February mean Oxford Bus Company’s 3A will no longer run around Greater Leys on Grenoble Road to Watlington Road Lidl, but will terminate at the Kassam Stadium. The half-hourly Stagecoach 600 continues on this route. There will be extra services on the late-night N400 (from Thame and Thornhill), while an extra bus will be added to the 700 route, from Kidlington to Blackbird Leys via Marston Ferry Road, which OBC says has not seen the punctuality improvements seen on other routes with the Congestion Charge.
Train toilet nightmare just dropped: A CrossCountry train was held at Oxford station for an hour last Saturday while firefighters cut the toilet door open to rescue a trapped – claustrophobic – passenger. Both the electric door operation and the manual handles had failed. Robin Smith had already been trapped in the cubicle for an hour before firefighters arrived at Oxford station. A team from Oxfordshire Fire & Rescue at first tried to open the door, but on failing to do so, cut a hole using hydraulic cutting gear.

Notes from Clarion HQ

Your Clarion scribe is putting the finishing touches to this newsletter on a rail replacement bus, thanks to the railway closure.

Back in January 2025, we reported that Network Rail had re-planned their works to focus on opening Botley Road bridge in August 2026. That means the station enhancements – a new platform 5 and an improved western entrance – remain “jam tomorrow”. Platform 5 might not open until 2029.

For the residents of Abingdon Road, however, it will be “no (traffic) jam tomorrow”. Right now their road takes almost all the Westgate shopping traffic; reopening Botley Road will fix that. Businesses on Botley Road itself are even more eagerly awaiting completion. There is, at last, light at the end of the pedestrian tunnel.

Just one thing – can we plead for a decent coffee outlet at the station before 2029? See you on Friday.