Headington Headlines #345

Your weekly round-up of local news for 20 – 26 November.

One of the most prestigious houses in Oxford, let alone Headington, is on the market for a mere £5.25m. High Wall in Pullen’s lane has been up for sale since the summer but it’s popped up again on my news feed. Here’s a description of it on Prime Resi (‘Journal of Luxury Property’), and here’s Savills listing. The garden, but not the house, is Grade II listed. As always, headington.org.uk has all the history.

Headington’s Christmas lights will be switched on next Friday (1 December). I’m told there will be carol singing and mince pies!

The shop that was Electric Aids in Windmill Road has opened as Homewood Funeral Directors – Headington’s fourth undertakers.

In a rare example of a communnity pub making a comeback from closure, the Ampleforth Arms in Risinghurst opened on Saturday. All those concerned deserve hearty congratulations. Here are their opening hours for the rest of the week. Which leads me onto …

My favourite Headington-related tweet:

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

  • Nielsen House

Headington Headlines #334

Your weekly round-up of local news for 4 – 10 September.

The old Post Office, which has been a shop selling stationery since the PO closed, is to become a gallery for local artists.

BBC Countryfile reported on the @TheSpiritofToad distillery in South Park. It’s here on iPlayer until the end of the month – scroll through to 53’30”. (NB You have to register now to view BBC iPlayer).

The proposal for a 20mph speed limit for the whole of Windmill Road, which has always been part of the Access to Headington scheme, was approved by the County on Thursday. Thames Valley Police had objected on the grounds that people already drive faster and they doubt if they could enforce it. As they don’t enforce most other traffic restrictions this argument isn’t very convincing.

The new Swan School to be built in Marston moved a step closer as the River Learning Trust which will run the school announced contractors Galliford Try have been appointed to lead the design and build process.

A group of travellers moved onto the Margaret Road recreation ground on Thursday, but had gone by Friday evening.

The Tour of Britain passed briefly through OX3 on Saturday on the B4027 from Stanton St John to Islip. Here’s part of the peloton going through Islip.

The Tour of Britain passes through Islip
The Tour of Britain passes through Islip

Dr Anandagopal Srinivasan of Sandfield Road has been charged with two counts of sexual assault, one of which is alleged to have happened at the JR Hospital and the other at Addenbrooke’s in Cambridge.

The Mosaics (Barton Park) marketing office was opened over the weekend. There’s a thread about it on the e-democracy forum.

My favourite Headington-related tweet:

And finally, a tenuous link to Headington and only of interest to fans of professional cycling, EF Education First is  replacing Cannondale as sponsor of the current Cannondale-Drapac cycling team. Following what seems to be a trend for cycling teams to have ever more clunky names, the new team name will be Team EF Education-Drapac.

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

  • Travellers on Margaret Road play area
  • Travellers on Margaret Road
  • Barton Park Opening
  • Builder?

Headington Headlines #333

Your weekly round-up of local news for 28 August – 3 September.

The Headington Fairtrade shop celebrated its new look on Friday with drinks and nibbles and a 10% discount.

The latest Access to Headington work to start is to Churchill Drive and its junction with Old Road. It begins on 11 September and will last approximately 15 weeks. Part of Lime Walk will be closed and some on-road parking will be suspended. The County Council says residents on Lime Walk are being notified directly. The Oxford Mail’s report is here, and there are detailed drawings on the County’s Access to Headington pages (click the ‘Map’ tab).

The offices above Caffè Nero are advertised for rent. It’s not clear what this means for the future of current occupiers Abacus College / Oxford Language Centre. Hat-tip to @headingtonnews and @LeonardoLoredan for spotting and chasing this story.

The recent planning application for 29 Old High Street was turned down because of “excessive size and bulk” and because it would be “prominent and intrusive”. Expect an appeal.

As everyone took a last break before the end of the summer, there were no new posts on the Headington & Marston e-democracy forum this week.