shops

Headington Headlines #135

TonyOX3

Here’s my weekly round-up of local news for 28 October – 3 November.

Headington and other OX3 areas came through the storm of Monday morning unscathed.

Morrisons opened on Monday as announced – it was even early, opening before 9:00.

A new business networking group for Headington has been started by @TheOxonProject. Its first meeting is today (4 Nov); details here.

The yellow-box junction of Wharton Road with London Road is to be reinstated with money from @RosalindRogers‘ Area Steward’s Fund.

It seems @oxfordkebabs is moving into the Café Noir spot on Osler Road.

Friends of Old Headington have let me put their response to the County’s Headington Transport Strategy on the blog. Any more?

The Sandhills underpass is being smartened up and decorated with artwork by Wheatley Park students.

The Chequers pub in Beaumont Road, Quarry has submitted a planning application (ref 13/02762/FUL) for “Demolition of existing flat roofed porch and erection of new pitched roof porch. Erection of raised decking area over beer garden at rear.”

A young man was robbed in Pullens Lane on Wednesday evening. Two attackers stole his rucksack containing an HTC mobile phone, a Sony camera, text books and a wallet.

It seems that anti-social student behaviour has been worse this new academic year than for several years. Brookes, the City Council and residents are all working to do what they can to bring it under control.

My favourite Headington-related tweet of the week:

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

  • Planning application for 255 Marston Road
  • Traffic in Headington
  • Some Concerns about Headington
  • railings in Barton Lane
  • Parking in Saxon Way
I try to 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 #133

TonyOX3

No Headington Headlines last week as I was away, but now here again is my weekly round-up of local news, this time for 14 – 20 October.

The Oxford Times reported that St Andrew’s School is the most popular primary school in the county, measured in terms of the number of people who put schools down as their first, second or third preference compared with the number of places offered. On this measure there were 8.3 applications per place at St Andrew’s.

The County’s consultation on issues around a transport strategy for Headington closed last week. Here are links to some of the reponses by interested groups:

The map of the area proposed to be covered by the Headington Neighbourhood Plan has been submitted to Oxford City Council for approval. The Headington Plan website has an explanatory commentary. The Neighbourhood Plan Forum met on Thursday (report not yet published).

@headingtonnews pointed out that Barton West lies in the parish of St Andrew’s, Old Headington and wondered if this will change.

Professor Audrey Mullender, Principal of Ruskin College, announced her retirement with effect from 30 November. She has held the role since 2004.

Carl Sprake posted a blog about lichens in St Andrew’s churchyard in Old Headington.

In what looks suspiciously like a troll the Oxford Mail carried a story saying that in the long term, Christ Church might sell some of the land it owns adjacent to the West Barton development. The land is in South Oxfordshire District and is Green Belt so I suggest the chances of anything happening in the forseeable future are vanishingly small.

The Butchers Arms @ButchersArmsOxfhas a new shark-themed logo (with no apostrophe).

Police are looking for a Headington 17-year old who is charged with rape and who failed to attend a court hearing.

Up & Running moved across the road into the old Cartridge World shop, but there’s still no sign of Morrison’s opening.

Rosemary Restaurant continued to strip its façade of all signage. Unconfirmed rumours are that it will re-emerge with a different name.

Headington Ward’s LibDem councillors and the Friends of Old Headington have pooled funds to provide a grit bin on Ethelred Court (it’s off Dunstan Road if you didn’t know). The bin’s on order.

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

  • Has anyone got a large Santa suit they could loan for a day?
  • Headington Transport Strategy Consultation
  • Some Concerns about Headington
  • Headington Neighbourhood Plan Forum
  • New Headington bus routes
  • Punctuality Problems on No 4 Bus
I try to 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 #132

TonyOX3

Here’s my weekly round-up of local news for 30 September – 6 October.

Ownership of Warneford Meadow has been taken by the Oxford Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust from the Department of Health. The Trust has promised to continue the agreement under which the Meadow is maintained by the Friends of Warneford Meadow for the benefit of the community.

The agents selling the Fairview Inn on Glebelands have set a deadline of 11 October for commercial bids. You’ll remember that locals failed to raise the money to buy it after it was designated an Asset of Community Value. What happens if they don’t get any acceptable bids isn’t clear.

Sandfield Road residents have been complaining about the number of smokers from the JR Hospital who use nearby roads and a children’s play area for their cigarette breaks. But the JR, Churchill and Nuffield hospitals will get their smoking shelters. The planning application was approved on Wednesday by the East Area Planning Committee.

Headington’s 20mph zones may be more rigorously enforced by the police. In keeping with the formula applying to higher limits, action will be taken against motorists doing 24mph or more.

Up & Running will move into the old Cartridge World shop. Hancock’s Funeral Directors had an official opening 8 months after, er, opening. Daisy Chain in Windmill Road reopened after a major refurbishment.

Headington is one of the areas of Oxford that will get free wifi hotspots thanks to a governemt grant.

The Headington & Marston e-democracy forum lit up on Saturday night when people discovered that Headington Hill Park sometimes hosts wedding receptions. If only they paid more attention to Headington Headlines (June this year) they’d have known about it already.

My favourite Headington-related tweet of the week:

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

  • JR Hospital Trust Staff Travel Scheme
  • Warneford Meadow, Oxford – Notice of Intention to Dispose
  • New Headington bus routes
  • Licence for new Brookes building on Gypsy Lane
  • It is time Headington had a business club
  • After 6 months found a fence contractor
  • Traffic in Headington
  • 20 m.p.h speed limits on roads to be strictly enforced
  • Risinghurst Fireworks Display 9th November 2013
  • Marston Heating Supplies
  • Commercialisation of Headington Hill Park?
I try to 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.