Headington Headlines #230

TonyOX3

Here’s my rather pub-related weekly round-up of local news for 31 August – 5 September.

The Corner House pub at The Slade/Hollow Way junction is under threat of closure and conversion into a shop …

… and The Chequers in Quarry is up for sale (price on application) …

… and the first public meeting to support the revival of The Ampleforth pub @TheAmpRevival in Risinghurst was on Friday evening.

Not to be left out, @TheMasonsArmsHQ held their beer festival over the weekend.

This amazing map from Private Eye shows all the properties owned by companies in offshore tax havens. Search for Headington and see what there is in the local area – including some in the shopping area, and Dairy Lodge in Headington Hill Park which was sold by the City Council not long ago.

Active posts on the Headington & Marston e-democracy forum this week:

  • Northway Green access road
  • Volunteers Needed!
  • Barton Road Cricket Ground
  • School Places
I cover news from the OX3 postcode in Headington and out as far as Barton, Sandhills and Risinghurst (see map). To feed into next week’s summary you can comment on this article, or tweet either with the hashtag #ox3 or @mentioning @TonyOX3.

Headington Headlines #229

TonyOX3

Here’s my weekly round-up of local news for 24 – 30 August.

Faced with funding cuts, Cheney School will only offer 6th form students 3 A-levels instead of 4. Instead they will increase the availablility of Duke of Edinburgh Gold Awards they support, as this apparently makes students “more marketable”.

Two of the three bidders for the Stansfeld outdoor centre have been disclosed. They are Oxford Co-housing and Science Oxford. The third is an unnamed care provider.

Barton United and Headington Amateurs football clubs will have to find an alternative ground from April 2016 to September 2017 while their current facilities are lost during the Barton Park development. The development will ultimately provide new sports facilities including provision for the clubs.

The campaign to save the Ampleforth pub in Risinghurst now has a website www.theamprevival.co.uk/ as well as a twitter account @TheAmpRevival. The story was covered at some length on BBC South Today’s evening programme on Wednesday.

The threatened 48-hour strike by porters at the JR was called off after members of Unison accepted a deal over shift patterns and jobs.

The Headington 5 five-mile running race was held yesterday (Sunday).

My favourite Headington-related tweet of the week:

Dramatic skies over Headington this evening. pic.twitter.com/Ubed4wLm5d

— Ross Mackenzie (@rossmackenzie) August 29, 2015

Active posts on the Headington & Marston e-democracy forum this week:

  • Headington Quarry Village Hall – enjoy painting?
  • Noise Osler Road.
  • Northway Town Green access road
  • Northway/Barton Link Road
I cover news from the OX3 postcode in Headington and out as far as Barton, Sandhills and Risinghurst (see map). To feed into next week’s summary you can comment on this article, or tweet either with the hashtag #ox3 or @mentioning @TonyOX3.

Headington Headlines #228

TonyOX3

Here’s my weekly round-up of local news for 17 – 23 August.

A report in @TheOxfordMail says – unsurprisingly – that the two Oxford bus companies support the Access to Headington scheme.

“Badgers set to get their own home” @BartonPark_. Do you see what @TheOxfordMail did there? Read story.

A small start-up company based in Headington, SwitchIT UK, has launched a crowdfunding appeal to raise funds for a classroom and equipment. They are on twitter as @SwitchITuk.

The Ampleforth Arms in Risinghurst, currently closed but hoping to re-open has established itself as an Asset of Community Value. It has a twitter account @TheAmpRevival.

The plans to refurbish and extend Quarry Village Hall have been approved. All that’s needed now is the money – £70,000 is the estimated cost. Perhaps they need a Justgiving page!

The threatened strike by hospital porters at the JR may be averted if union members agree to the new proposals emerging from “productive” discussions on Friday. However it has also been reported that the GMB Union has joined Unison and announced it will ballot for industrial action.

My favourite Headington-related tweet of the week:

Calling all jam makers! Our plum tree is bearing fruit – please feel free to bring a pot and take some away! pic.twitter.com/wAJpCr4tWp

— Butchers Arms (@ButchersArmsOxf) August 17, 2015

Only one active topic on the Headington & Marston e-democracy forum this week:

  • Mobility scooters
I cover news from the OX3 postcode in Headington and out as far as Barton, Sandhills and Risinghurst (see map). To feed into next week’s summary you can comment on this article, or tweet either with the hashtag #ox3 or @mentioning @TonyOX3.