Headington Headlines #224

Here’s my weekly round-up of local news for 20 – 26 July.

The Post Office is definitely moving to the Co-op.

The Headington Shark’s fame has spread as far as India. It features in a list of “Unusual monuments around the world you have not heard of” in India Today (link c/o @RuthWilk).

The Marston Meatshop is going to become a greengrocer. Shame about the spelling.

Marston meat shop is becoming a greengrocer! pic.twitter.com/OKJQdOZXqt

— Stuart Bryant (@amigastu) July 22, 2015

Some new wooden posts with cryptic signs have appeared in Headington Hill Park. Apparently they are part of a scheme by @runengland to promote running and jogging.

Retirement home Douglas Veale House in Trafford Road has joined twitter @DouglasVealsHse.

Old Marston Parish Council @OldMarstonPC has published its comments on Access to Headington on its facebook page.

The @Oxonbike station at the Churchill is open and operational.

Headington Farmers’ market opened on Saturday for the first time. It will be weekly, every Saturday, from now on.

For the first time since Headington Headlines started the were no posts on the Headington & Marston e-democracy forum this week:

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 #214

Here’s my weekly round-up of local news for 11 – 17 May.

On Monday, work started on the site of the new access junction for @BartonPark_ with lane restrictions on the Headington-bound side of the Northern Bypass (A40). On Wednesday there was an official groundbreaking ceremony to mark the start of the development proper.

If you missed the presentation of the developers’ latest plans for Phase 1 last Monday and Saturday, there’s a final chance on Tuesday from 4 – 7 pm at the Northway Community Centre in Dora Carr Close. When they submit their formal planning application there will be the usual opportuntiy to comment via the City Council. They have distributed a flyer with some general information about the development.

The Headington Shark featured on Channel 4 on Monday, in a programme called “Damned Designs – Don’t Demolish My Home.

Oxforshire County Council announced it intends to cut £2.3m from the bus services it supports. The Dial-a-Ride service is to go, but the other services to be affected have not yet been announced. The occasional H1 and H2 services which connect Headington shops with Old Marston, Sandhills and Quarry are possible targets, and the 280 service to Aylesbury might also be a victim. For anyone unfamiliar with the H1 and H2 routes, this is when they run.

Starting on Bank Holiday Monday (25 May), @CreationTheatre are running “Put On A Play In A Week” drama workshops for 6 – 8 and 9 – 12 year-olds in Headington Baptist Church.

The much anticipated closure of Headington Post Office in its present home and a move to the Co-op has been confirmed, with the Post Office opening a consultation on the proposal. Within the consultation it says the new Office will be fully open all day Saturday and offer “selected services” late and on Sundays.

Is St Leonard’s Road car park Headington’s version of the Bermuda Triangle? Weird happenings have been reported.

My favourite Headington-related tweet of the week:

At least three Headington people received Certificates of Honour at Town Hall yesterday: Liz Grosvenor, Carolyn Gulliver, and Marie Vickers

— Headington News (@HeadingtonNews) May 12, 2015

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

  • Petitioning Oxfordshire County Council for Quarry Hollow Traffic Calming and pedestrian safety
  • Headington Post Office
  • Access road from Barton to Northway Estate
  • Barton Park development
  • Revised Proposals for the Development of Holy Trinity, Headington Quarry
  • Electronic issues in St Leonard’s Road Car Park
  • Here we go – scapegoating again.
  • School Places
  • Cafe Culture
  • Lye Valley
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 #189

Here’s my weekly round-up of local news for 10 – 16 November.

It was announced on Monday that Olympic rowing gold medallist Katherine Grainger will succeed Shami Chakrabarti as Chancellor of @oxford_brookes in March 2015. Neither Katherine or Shami seem to be on twitter (under their own names, anyway).

Independent Marston Councillor Mick Haines’ long campaign to get lights installed on the cycle path in the Croft Road park finally came to fruition.

The “Shark House” in New High Street has been up for rent several times in the past few years, but this time it’s gone wild on twitter and even made The Guardian. Canny marketing by agents @ScottFraserUK.

Furthermore, it seems shark house owner @Bill_Heine plans to move back there himself and is looking for “bubbly and gregarious” lodgers.

The ever sharp-eyed @HeadingtonNews noticed that Pullens Gate in Pullens Lane has been sold by agents @ScottFraserUK. It was on the market at an asking price of £2m. but I bet it went for a touch less. Mansion Tax, anyone?

Oxfordshire County’s Cabinet Member, Environment @DNimmosmit1 approved the proposed 50mph speed limit on the A40 northern bypass between the Headington roundabout and the Marston junction as part of the changes associated with the @BartonPark_ development. It won’t come into force until the new access junction is built, and there’s still no news yet about the Foxwell Drive Town Green application.

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

  • Oxford Hospitals Notice-Boards
  • Headington Festival Weekend 2015
  • no lights
  • Christmas lights in Headington
  • Temple Cowley Pools Public Meeting Mon 17th 6pm