Archive

It's all about excellence and a team who are prepared to run that extra mile to produce the very best. The newly opened Brookes on the Park restaurant doesn't boast any Michelin stars yet, but doubtless there will come a day when it receives all manner

Journalism is founded on the right to freedom of expression. George Clooney's second directorial effort salutes the courage of a group of journalists, who put their reputations on the line to uphold this human right, and to expose the truth. Shot in crisp

The chameleonic Heath Ledger plays a very different romantic hero far removed from his tortured loner in Brokeback Mountain in Lasse Hallstrm's playful, lusty romp Casanova, inspired by the legend of the Renaissance-era bounder. There are obvious nods

Local historian Christine Bloxham believes in putting information whether words or pictures into the public domain for many people to appreciate, rather than leave material languishing in libraries or private collections. Take, for instance, her two

"I'm really lucky Commotio picked me," laughed Peter Klatzow. "None of my choral music has been recorded before, so I'm very happy to have these pieces on CD." We were sitting in Exeter College quad one evening last June, enjoying the last, defiant

Bode Lawal's background is as colourful as his personality. He grew up in Nigeria where his grandfather was king of a small town' and his father a Yoruba chief who trained as a civil engineer at the University of Lagos. He hoped that his son would follow

LEADERS Didcot Town recorded their first Premier Division win for three matches as they overcame Carterton 3-1 at the npower Loop Meadow Stadium on Saturday. Despite missing numerous early chances, the result was never in doubt once Stuart Beavon fired

LEADERS Oxford City had to settle for a share of the spoils at their Premier Division rivals on Saturday. The visitors put early pressure on the home side and looked likely to take the lead, though they lacked a cutting edge where it mattered. Justin

Sir Richard Hill writes (Letters, February 3) I thought it would not be too long before The Victorian Society started to react to the exciting new initiatives of the Dean and Chapter of Christ Church,' and argues that the rigid configuration' of the

Sir The removal of a block of pews in the crossing of Christ Church is not significant if it is an isolated incident. It would, however, be of greater interest if it points to plans for the liturgical reordering of the cathedral. It would be unfortunate

OXFORD CITY went five points clear at the top of the Premier Division table with victory over Welwyn on Wednesday night. It stretched their unbeaten run to 20 games. Justin Miller was prominent early on, putting in a long-range effort and forcing

Sir I welcome Oxford City Council's adoption of the idea that using an ice rink to heat a swimming pool could be energy-efficient. It would make an excellent double leisure facility for the city. Oxford's ice rink is a great way to attract leisure

A LAST-minute equaliser denied Thame their first Division 1 West win for 14 games, though it did end a run of seven successive league defeats. It was harsh on the basement boys who had battled back from a goal down. Thame bosses Richard Searl and

Sir Mr Nigel Eggleton of Oxford Bus Company (Letters, February 10) is fully entitled to be proud of his firm, but how can one compare the benefits available from his £3.20 travel-card with London's £3.50? If I am let loose in London, just think where

Sir Whilst travelling on the southern ring road and on to Abingdon last week I was amazed at the amount of litter strewn along the side of the road and caught in the grass verges and trees, the latter looking like dirty washing. The fact that I was travelling

Sir I am sorry that Chris Goodall (Letters, February 10) wishes to politicise a local planning issue. At the last area committee, we had to determine an application from Ruskin College for change of use from four flats to a single family house. Although

Sir I very much sympathize with the residents of East Oxford who are opposing a planning application to turn the former Futon Shop into a restaurant, Residents' anger at restaurant bid, (Report, February 3). We in Summertown have been fighting a similar

Sir May I set the record straight on some of the information in your front-page story Heads rush to defence of Dr Hood about Oxford University last week, which may consequently have given your readers a rather distorted picture of reality? You refer

BANBURY United earned a point against the Premier Division's top goalscorers with a hard-working display in Devon on Saturday. In a frantic start, Banbury spurned a golden chance to take the lead on six minutes. But Wayne Blossom mis-kicked with the

Sir Last year was officially the Year of the Volunteer; it coincided with my having some free time available after a busy working life in IT. I thought, therefore, that it would be a simple matter to find some charitable organisation in need of some

Sir The winter edition of Oxfordshire, the news magazine from Oxfordshire County Council has just been delivered. Evidently we are meant to be impressed by the cover photo of some unshaven actor who endorses an article in it. The useful content of this

Sir We live in a truly beautiful city as was illustrated in Lewis and recently I had the pleasure of showing a friend from France around various parts of the centre. On both days, when struggling through exhaust fumes in Magdalen Street East and

CRAIG Davies says that Oxford United are facing a real relegation battle because the heart of the dressing room has gone. The Verona striker is concerned that the U's team spirit is at an all-time low. "Brian Talbot has ruined that club by letting

Sir The Lord Mayor, Mr Bob Price, opposes the construction of a rowing lake on Hinksey Meadows because it would increase traffic into Oxford by perhaps a couple of hundred people a day but he supports the Westgate extension, which will produce a much

Sir Councillor Price states (Letters, February 3), that the Westgate redevelopment would provide improvements in the traffic management capacities of the Oxpens/Westgate area, improved bus facilities and the pedestrianisation of Bonn Square and Queen

CRAIG Davies has spoken of his Oxford United nightmare and slammed manager Brian Talbot for forcing him out of the club. Davies joined Italian side Verona earlier this month after deciding that he could not take any more of life at the Kassam Stadium

Sir I am beginning to feel that the unfounded undermining of state schools in Oxford by some of your readers says more about their own education than anything else. It is quite irrefutable that standards of education (in the widest sense) for the majority

Sir It is worth remarking that the correspondence you have recently published concerning the Government's school performance tables would never have appeared if Oxfordshire were part of Wales because the Welsh have sensibly decided that the figures

BANBURY have pulled off a double coup by recruiting South African Benji Hector as their new captain and Oxfordshire skipper Ian Hawtin from Bicester & North Oxford, writes Russell Smith. Hector, who has starred for Wellington in the Birmingham League

SEASONED international Helen Casey, of Wallingford RC, reversed an earlier trials defeat when she won the women's lightweight sculls in the third GB Winter Assessment Trials. Casey was beaten earlier this winter by Hester Goodsell, the world under 23

OXFORD City triple jumper Nathan Douglas saved his best to last to snatch a thrilling victory in the Norwich Union Trials and AAA Indoor Championships at Sheffield on Sunday. The 23-year-old looked to have sewn up victory with a fourth-round leap of

Caroline Hyland visits the Ashmolean Museum and discovers that pilgrimage is something many religions have in common. Recent political events and associated media coverage appear to have fostered an environment of suspicion and mistrust between major

DON Jenkins scored 31 points as a ruthless Wallingford smashed Swindon College 71-7. The centre ran in a hat-trick of tries and notched eight conversions, while winger Johnny Collett bagged a first-half treble. Mike Chapman, Henry Venners Derek Viljoen

Val Bourne traces the origins of our favourite spring flower - the snowdrop. Snowdrops seem to cause controversy among gardeners. While some enthuse about the slightest differences, others dismiss them rather scathingly as being all the same. The

Katherine MacAlister enjoys the contrast as she lunches at two eateries in the village of Kirtlington, The Dashwood and The Oxford Arms. Driving round Oxfordshire these days it appears that even the remotest country lane is lined with hostelries begging

SCRUM half Gareth Campbell scored a try in each half as Witney ground out a 23-10 victory at Stow-on-the-Wold. Witney began and ended the game on top, but Stow recovered from 15-0 down to look threatening at 15-10. Fly half Matt Watts gave the visitors

MITCH Burton was the hero in Henley Hawks' 22-20 win at Barking. The full back, playing his first full game since January 7, clinched victory with a 75th-minute drop goal. And he was the extra man in the line that helped winger Stuart Roberts score

ANDY Henley and Jamie Cope both bagged hat-tricks as Oxford Harlequins thrashed Clevedon 62-15 at Horspath Road. Centre Henley, who was Quins' stand-in kicker, finished the day with 27 points, while fellow Kiwi Peter Yee marked his debut with a try.

Planning a romantic meal for you and a special someone this Valentine's Day? Helen Peacocke has the perfect recipe. There is nothing quite as seductive as a shared meal, particularly if it has been prepared with love and with lovers in mind. By

SEAN Bannister inspired leaders Banbury to a ninth successive home win in Midlands 3 East South on Saturday. The blindside flanker bagged two tries and covered acres of ground in a fine individual display during their 26-17 win over Stewarts & Lloyds

John Stimpfig chooses the perfect wine to accompany a romantic dinner for two. Whenever it comes to Valentines, we wine writers are often prone to recommend that you think and drink pink for the romantic effect even though it doesn't always suit some

OXFORD University director of rugby Steve Hill says leading his country can only benefit new Dark Blues captain Kevin Brennan. Scrum half Brennan, 25, was elected Oxford University skipper for the 2006 Varsity Match just days after being named England

Chris McLaren is our guide on a ramble through Sydlings Copse in the Oxfordshire countryside. Winter wildlife walks can be quiet affairs with plant life largely dormant and birds and mammals much less obvious than they will be in the months to come

FIVE of Oxford United's key players stepped forward in a dramatic show of solidarity with manager Brian Talbot before Wednersday's game with Macclesfield, writes Jon Murray. Skipper Chris Hargreaves was joined by Matt Robinson, Lee Mansell, Steve Basham

OXFORD United failed to ease their relegation fears as they were held at home by Macclesfield on Wednesday night, writes Jon Murray. They still have not won at the Kassam Stadium in 2006, but it wasn't a bad performance. They just didn't get enough

BRIAN Talbot defended his controversial decision to bring back Billy Turley in the Oxford United goal on Wednesday night. The U's boss axed Chris Tardif and recalled his summer signing from Rushden but then watched in horror as Turley gifted Macclesfield

David Bolton recalls the 1955 Banbury Canal Rally the event that is said to have saved the waterway from oblivion. This event took place in glittering sunshine throughout, which painted on the minds of those participating many pictures that will long

Mike Thorn discovers more about the ancient equivalent of the laptop computer. Over the last 1,000 years there has been a great deal of cultural exchange between the Islamic world and the West. One aspect of our shared heritage can be found in the

Sylvia Vetta talks to gallery owners Roger and Sue Sansom about developing an eye for art. In recent years, more people have considered art and antiques as part of their pension provision. Personally, I think it unwise to buy art as an investment.

Thieves targeted a motor- cycle shop in the second raid on it in six weeks. Four men, wearing balaclavas and hoods, charged at the door of TTR Motorcycles in Hans Avenue in Wantage and barged their way in after using a crowbar to weaken it yesterday at

Oxford Cheetahs speedway promoter Aaron Lanney promises a 'gung ho' start to the season where the emphasis will be on fun. Lanney wants his club to adopt the 'Crazy Gang' spirit as he prepares for his first season in charge as a promoter. He believes

Banbury United manager Kevin Brock says the next seven days will prove a crucial test of his side's Southern League Premier Division play-off credentials, starting with tomorrow's visit of fellow high-fliers Mangotsfield United. Brock, whose team travel

Oxford Harlequins director of rugby Matt Maudsley says his side are finally 'clicking' as they prepare for tomorrow's South West 1 game at Reading Abbey. After an indifferent season, Quins have now won three in a row and put 60 points past Clevedon on

Arrests have been made in the fight against criminal damage in Bicester after three teenagers admitted more than 60 offences. Inspector Oliver Wright, of Bicester police, said the three youths had admitted a range of crimes -- including attempted theft

An Oxford Mail investigation into fee-charging cash machines in low income areas has been praised by Andrew Smith MP in the House of Commons. The Labour MP for Oxford East yesterday urged the Government to protect poor families from the "injustice" of

One of Oxford's best known bookshops is preparing to close, bringing to an end a history of book-selling stretching back to the reign of Queen Victoria. The Janus Society bookshop in Turl Street, next door to the Mitre, was taken over by the society 15

I am sure that Chris Boswell is not always grumpy, but he does sound as if he is the only one dealing with the inadequacies of life. The street wardens are non-existent on my estate, too, as are the road sweepers and the grass boxes when the grass gets

Housebuilder Berkeley Homes is facing mounting criticism over a controversial development on the old Lucy's site in Jericho. A residents' group is calling on the company to "show greater respect" for its neighbours after a series of complaints about disturbance

Staff at four Oxford bars have become the first in the city hit with £80 fines for serving schoolgirls in an undercover drinking sting. Two 15-year-old girls were sent out on Wednesday night under the joint police and city council operation and got served

The future of a service which provides more than 9,000 hot meals a day to schoolchildren in Oxfordshire hangs in the bal- ance, despite a promised £1.3m funding boost. Lorna Caldicott, head of Peers School in Littlemore A crunch meeting next month will

I must take issue with you over the assertion that because only one of the six Oxfordshire MPs is a Labour MP, Health Secretary Patricia Hewitt is not concerned with the financial problems of the NHS in Oxfordshire (Oxford Mail, February 9). During my

A Cholsey charity project could become a blueprint for an international initiative to link villages in the UK with communities in developing countries. Choko -- the name is a combination of Cholsey and the community of Kodumela in South Africa -- was

Oxfordshire 2nd went down 12-3 to Dorset 2nd in Division 2D of the Badminton Inter-County Championships - but it could have been so different. Nine of the 15 rubbers went to a third game, but Dorset came out on top. Paul Casey and Martin Graham won a

Nightsafe's operation to see if any bars would serve alcohol to underage drinkers had depressingly predictable results. More than half of those tested happily sold booze to two 15-year-old girls. The careless bar staff who failed to demand age proof from

Uniformed park rangers have started patrolling Oxford's green spaces in a £150,000 project to help keep people safe and secure. Six rangers now form part of a mobile response unit working seven days a week to provide a reassuring presence in the city's

The £300m redevelopment of Oxford's Westgate Centre has been hit by a snub to the master scheme for bussing shoppers into the city. Bus companies and developers had identified using the Worcester Street car park as a bus turning area as key to the pedestrianisation

A security guard who narrowly escaped from a fire has thanked the quick-thinking milkman who raised the alarm. Tim Cooper-Harris, 41, was on his morning round in Chipping Norton when he smelled smoke and heard a fire alarm at Bob Tanner's flat, in Fox

Motorists faced a morning of chaos yesterday as three separate accidents led to delays for thousands of road users. Firefighters at the scene of the crash on the A415 Marcham Road There have been fewer cars on the roads this week as schools are on half-term

Medics yesterday told a jury how patients being cared for by a nurse accused of murder were left fighting for their lives. Benjamin Geen, 25, was working in accident and emergency at The Horton General Hospital in Banbury when patients David Nelson, 77

Bookmakers are confident that Oxford United will survive their relegation battle. Despite sitting just four points and four places off the relegation zone, Oxford bookmakers River Racing make Brian Talbot's side an 11-2 chance to finish the season in

Brian Talbot admits that he is experiencing a new side to being a manager at Oxford United. In his 18 years as a boss, Talbot has never been involved in a relegation battle. And he acknowledges that the run his side are on at the moment - no win in seven

Some years ago when the Oxford station area was redesigned, 35 poles were erected to carry the traffic lights. Recently the Eastern Bypass flyover at Cowley had 35 poles installed to carry the traffic lights. Is Oxford out to (a) increase pollution from

A Christmas craze pioneered in Oxford to send ethical gifts to Africa has been accused of causing an environmental disaster instead of helping poverty-stricken families. Oxford-based charity Oxfam sold 66,000 goats as festive gifts for friends and relatives

RONALD Busby, retired landlord of the former Horse and Jockey pub in North Oxford, has died aged 98. Described by family members as "a real gentleman", Mr Busby ran the 18th-century pub, in Woodstock Road, during the 1960s. In 2004, it was turned

JACK Foster, who has died aged 85, taught at three Oxford schools and had a distinguished war career. As an RAF Flying Officer, he helped ferry troops and equipment to France as the D-Day landings got under way in 1944. He was the navigator among

Dr Frank Ellis OBE, the pioneering radiotherapist who devoted his life to saving people from cancer, has died, aged 100. Almost every major technical advance in radiation treatment of cancer in the past 50 years has either been his own idea or was largely

HI-TECH company Oxford Instruments is set to close down its Eynsham site with the loss of up to 50 jobs. The company, which will now focus on its nanotechnology business, employs more than 90 staff at Eynsham, with another 200 working across Oxfordshire

Oxford racing driver James Rossiter helped Brackley's Honda Racing F1 team begin shaking down its new car at the Sakhir circuit in Bahrain, ready for the start of the new Grand Prix season on March 12. Rossiter began the four-day test, as the new chassis

MEDICS yesterday told a jury how patients being cared for by a nurse accused of murder were left fighting for their lives. Benjamin Geen, 25, pictured, was working in accident and emergency at The Horton General Hospital in Banbury when patients David

here is something ridiculous about the city council's posturing over charges for residents' parking permits in Oxford. There is an argument about whether residents in Oxford should be charged for permits to cover the costs of administering a scheme. The

The news that Nuffield College has no intention of allowing buses to use the Worcester Street car park as a turning circle is not only a major blow to plans to revitalise the Westgate area and bring John Lewis to Oxford, it is also a huge embarrassment

Nissan's press and public relations folk are never short of bright ideas, but even by their standards this was a stunner. Test drive one of its specially-painted pink Micra C+C models over 250 miles and they would hand over £250 to Breakthrough Breast