Manor Ground was sold for £12 million

Firoz Kassam’s company Firoka (London Park Ltd) paid £6 million for the Manor Ground, and just three months later (in January 2002) sold it for £12 million to Nuffield Hospitals, after gaining planning permission for a hospital and 87 flats on the site. But Oxford United creditors failed to gain any extra money from the £6m profit.

Kassam came in at No. 272 on the Sunday Times Rich List for 2002, and was reckoned to be worth £120m. This is 52 places higher and £20m richer than last year.

Demolition of the stadium and supporters’ club began on 29 April 2002, with building work for the new Acland Hospital and 87 flats starting in August.

• Oxford Mail, 1 May 2002:
  “Manor Ground sold for £12m

• Oxford Mail, 9 September 2002:
  “Manor sale price under scrutiny”
• Oxford Mail, 12 November 2002:
  “United creditors’ claim blocked”

Manor Ground development 2001–3

See the Manor Ground development subsection

Vandalism in Headington

Headington shopping centre suffered from a spate of broken windows in 2002.

• Oxford Mail, 11 Nov 2002:
  “Traders count cost as vandals strike”

Baroness Young

Janet Young died in 2002 at the age of 75. She grew up at 11/13 New High Street (the large grey house called Stone Rise) and attended Headington School.

Theatre opens in Headington

Author Joanna Trollope has opened Headington’s first theatre, in the grounds of Headington School. The school says that many events at this £1.5m, 260-seat performing arts centre will be open to the public, with money raised going to Douglas House Hospice.

No. 10 became City Semicircle

The 10/10A bus-route was split in two on Sunday 5 August 2002, with the No. 10 terminating its current route at Templars Square and the No. 10A running from the railway station to the John Radcliffe Hospital via the Cowley Road and Hollow Way. This means that residents of Wood Farm now have to catch two buses to get to the city centre during weekdays. The Chiltern Queens 10C and 10D service would still run on the original city circle route in the evening and on Sundays, reduced to an hourly service.

• Oxford Mail, 1 August 2002:
  “Unreliable bus service to be split in two”

Barton IT hub

Barton Information Technology Hub in Underhill Circus opened in 2002 after a £25,000 refurbishment. Run by the county council, it included twelve new computers with free Internet access.

• Oxford Mail, 1 Nov 2002:
  “Computer help back on offer”

Somerfield

Somerfield reopened on 14 November 2001 after its £1 million refit. The manager, Colin Sheriff, said, “We’ve listened to our customers in Headington have have created a concept to deliver what they want from the store.”

This concept included a toilet for the disabled and a baby-changing area, and a new entrance in Old High Street.

• Oxford Mail, 16 August 2001:
  “Supermarket will create 40 jobs”

Trees given chop

Residents in Windmill Road were angry when the Nuffield Orthopaedic Centre chopped down a row of mature birch and beech trees screening the car-park.

Work to rebuild the hospital started in May 2002, to be done in two phases (with the hospital moving into one half while the other was demolished). The £35 million cost was funded by the PFI (Private Finance Initiative).

• Oxford Mail, 7 June 2002:
  “Trees chopped down to make way for road”

Headington brothel robbed

Just like the rest of Oxford, Headington has had a number of brothels in recent years, most notably the Kitten Club (which moves around) and “Sasha and Friends” (which is permanently based in the London Road). This is a fact not usually publicized in the local newspapers, even though they enjoy a considerable revenue from the advertisements of these “massage parlours”. On 11 December 2001 two men from the Headington area were found guilty of robbing the London Road brothel on 23 December 2000.

Headington councillor Stephen Fairweather-Tall pledged to bring up the subject of how to remove brothels from residential areas at Headington’s Area Committee meeting.

• Oxford Mail, 15 December 2001:
  “Call to force brothels out of housing areas”
• Oxford Mail, 12 December 2001:
  “Men guilty of shotgun robberies”
• Oxford Mail, 11 December 2001:
  “Jury considers parlour attacks”
• Oxford Mail, 7 December 2001:
  “Jury told of forensic clues”
• Oxford Mail, 6 December 2001:
  “Imitation shotgun found at address”
• Oxford Mail, 5 December 2001:
  “ ‘Robbers targeted massage parlours’ ”

The Bell pub

At the end of 2001 a planning application was submitted to demolish the Bell pub in Old High Street and to erect “a three-storey (with third floor in roof space) dwelling, incorporating existing two-storey building at rear to create four-bedroom house with garage accessed from The Croft and on-plot parking space accessed from Old High Street”.

The pub was built in 1930 as a house for the landlord of the Old Bell, a beerhouse that occupied the seventeenth-century stables next door. The original stables/beerhouse have already been replaced by a modern private house.

Sophie Lancaster leaves

The disbanding of the Oxford City Centre Management Partnership (replaced by a city centre company run by a board of business representatives and councillors) means that Headington lost the services of Sophie Lancaster, who has been seconded to the Department of Transport, Local Government and the Regions for 12 months.

Art

Sculpture in Bury Knowle Park:

• Oxford Mail, 27 February 2002:
  “Young artists make art piece for peace”

Korky Paul unveiled Headington subway art:

• Oxford Mail, 25 June 2002:
  “Artist unveils wall mural”

G. H. Williams

George Williams of Headington's bike shop celebrated his 90th birthday on 4 May 2001. He started working for his father, the eponymous G. H. Williams, when he was 13: the shop then occupied the then Cotswold Collection shop across the road, and the firm made bicycles and sold petrol as well as doing repairs. He was still working 77 years later in the smaller bike shop near Bury Knowle Park with his son, daughter, and retired son-in-law.

His father, the eponymous G. H. Williams, can be found in the 1891 census as a schoolboy of nine living with his family at 117 Lime Walk.

295–301 London Road: Plans approved

The full planning application for the redevelopment of the existing Sikh Gurdwara and “Demolition of existing two-storey building. Erection of a part two-, part three-storey building to create 5 x 2 bed and 2 x 1 bed flats. Provision of bin and cycle storage along with private amenity space” was approved by the East Area Planning Committee on 2 September 2020. The plans were called in and subsequently approved by the Planning Review Committee on 15 October 2020:

• Approved application 20/00856/FUL
• Oxford Mail, 12 September 2020: “Plans to knock down and rebuild Oxford's Sikh temple to be reconsidered”
• Oxford Mail, 5 September 2020: “Oxford's Sikh temple to be knocked down for flats (and new temple)”
• Image of the building on GoogleMaps

This building was built for the Currill family in 1890 as a house and a shoe shop. In more recent years it was occupied by Sharp & Howse.

• History of 295–301 London Road

Two earlier planning applications

(1) A planning application submitted in February 2019 was withdrawn: this was for “Outline application with all matters reserved apart from scale and access for the demolition of existing two storey building comprising offices at ground floor level and 2 x 1-bed flats at first floor level and its replacement with a three-storey building comprising eight flats (2 x 1-bed flats, 4 x 2-bed flats and 2 x 3-bed flats) along with access to the rear at the site (serving a car park belonging to the adjacent Sikh Temple). Provision bin and cycle storage and private amenity space.”

• Withdrawn application 19/00305/OUT
• Oxford Mail, 18 February 2019:
  “Three-storey block of flats plan at Headington Sikh temple site”

(2) A planning application for the conversion of existing offices on this site into two shops was approved on 7 February 2018:

• Approved application 17/03142/FUL

Miscellaneous

• Brian Aldiss was angry that Oxford Bus Company had labelled his road as Barton Lane yet again on their bus map:
  Oxford Mail, 5 May 2001:
  “Street name left off city bus map”
• City councillor Catherine Hodgkinson, LibDem councillor for Quarry ward, resigned:
  Oxford Mail, 16 November 2001:
  “Resignation sparks attack”
• Headington FunDay 2001:
  Oxford Mail, 3 December 2001:
  “Christmas is Fun, Fun, Fun!”
• Headington grave-digger:
  Oxford Mail, 8 November 2001:
  “There is nobody here who can hurt you”
• Butcher’s Arms renovation:
  Oxford Mail, 22 May 2001:
  “Mayor goes behind the bar”
• Butcher’s Arms award:
  Oxford Mail, 4 December 2001:
  “Pub wins award in contest”
• All Saints’ vicar’s sermon:
  Oxford Mail, 19 January 2001:
  “Sermon is worthy of good book”
• No. 10 bus service:
  Oxford Mail, 1 August 2001:
  “Unreliable bus service route to be split in two”
• Headington Poetry Competition 2001:
  Oxford Mail, 9 January 2002:
  “Mechanic wins top poetry prize”
• Control Plus unable to enforce parking restrictions in Bateman Street:
  Oxford Mail, 8 June 2001:
  “Lack of parking lines means no penalties”
• Thornhill Park & Ride:
  Oxford Mail, 31 October 2001:
  “Thornhill to double in size by 2002”
• Fire at Mediterranean Fish Bar:
  Oxford Mail, 21 January 2002:
  “Fish shop damaged”

Local Shop News 2002

Vente Tsunami was the new name given to Styles Hairdressing in Windmill Road in 2002.

Top to Tail, 4D New High Street: Application 02/02040/FUL for change of use from dog-grooming parlour (Class A1) to estate agency/ financial services (Class A2) was approved at the end of 2002. (The shop is outside the boundary of the Headington District Shopping Centre.)

Spiers Blake An application for the change of use of the upstairs offices at 95 London Road to a dental surgery was also allowed.

Accidents in the centre of Headington

On Tuesday 23 October 2001 a motorcyclist was hit by a car in the middle of the London Road opposite Kennett Road, at much the same spot as Mrs Ann Weygang (64) of Horwood Close was struck down just over two weeks earlier: she later died in hospital. Another woman was killed just over a year ago crossing the London Road at this point.

On Saturday 27 October 2001 at 8.50 p.m. five cars were involved in an accident at the Windmill Road junction with Langley Close.

• Oxford Mail, 6 October 2001:
  “Woman hurt in accident”

Hospitals

The Oxford Centre for Enablement opened at the Nuffield Orthopaedic Centre in Headington in 2002. The former Rivermead Rehabilitation Centre, Ritchie Russell House, the carer charity Crossroads, Dialability, and the Oxford Wheelchair Service would all transfer to this new £9.1m centre.

• Oxford Mail, 4 September 2002:
  “Flagship centre for disabled opens”

Cancer Unit. The Government Health Secretary announced in 2002 that a new £60m cancer unit was to be built at the Churchill Hospital, opening in 2007:

• Oxford Mail, 4 July 2002:
  “Minister approves 60m cancer unit”

Transplant Centre. An appeal was launched in 2002 to build a new transplant centre at the Churchill Hospital:

• Oxford Mail, 9 September 2002:
  “Father helps raise funds for transplant centre”

MRI suite. Actress Sheila Hancock unveiled a plaque at the Churchill Hospital on 12 September 2002 to mark the opening of a £1.75m MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging) suite:

• Oxford Mail, 13 September 2002:
  “Sheila’s star part”

Trauma Unit. A new £8.5m trauma unit with 56 new beds opened at the John Radcliffe Hospital on 29 October 2002. It was built in the record time of 18 months on the site of a former carpark:

• Oxford Mail, 29 November 2002:
  “Broken neck victim guest at £8.5m trauma unit opening”

Diabetes Centre. The Oxford Centre for Diabetes, Endocrinology, and Metabolism (OCDEM) opened in 2002

Headington Conservative Club

Following Iain Duncan Smith’s visit to Oxford on 31 October, The Times of 1 November 2002 focussed on Headington Conservative Club (on the corner of Windmill Road and Bateman Street), and local Headington people’s views of the Tory leader.

Golden Jubilee in Headington, 2002

Pictures of four events

Headington salon judged top

Mathew Clulee Hairdressing in London Road was awarded the title of favourite salon by the national magazine Hair in 2002.

Headington Buds

These were remembered in the Oxford Mail of 2001: details here.

Contra-flow cycle lanes

The contra-flow cycle lanes in Kennett Road and New High Street became operational:

• Oxford Mail, 14 February 2001:
  “ ‘Wrong way’ cycle lanes given thumbs-up”

Harry Potter wizard

It was announced that Harry Robinson of London Road would not be playing Professor Albus Dumbledore in the next Harry Potter film, The Prisoner of Azkaban .

The Sunday Times of 27 October 2002 stated:

”An outsider to play the snowy-bearded Dumbledore is Harry Robinson, a bit-part actor who plays a wizard on the stairs greeting children as they arrive at Hogwarts in the first two films. He has previously played small roles in films such as Shadowlands and also acted as Harris’s double.”

• Oxford Mail, 29 October 2002:
  “Double in tribute to Harris”
• Oxford Mail, 4 January 2002:
  “Hopes fade for star role in Potter film”

Stone Age Headington

Dr Clive Waddington of the University of Newcastle upon Tyne excavated the field owned by Oxford Preservation Trust opposite the Black Boy in the hope of finding the remains of Ethelred’s Palace, and discovered Mesolithic (Stone Age) material on the site. This indicates that people have lived in Headington for at least 12,000 years.

Iron Age Headington

John Moore Heritage Services investigated the Manor Ground at the beginning of July prior to the start of building work and found a large amount of pottery believed to date from the first century BC. There is likely to be a burial site on the settlement, which extended northwards towards the John Radcliffe Hospital. All the artefacts found on the Manor Ground were due to go to the Oxfordshire Museum in Woodstock.

• Oxford Mail, 27 August 2002:
  “Iron Age remains at Manor Ground site”

Headington Hill Park

2002 was the seventh year of the City Council’s ten-year Management Plan. The plan includes a description of the trees that were in this 19-acre park in 1880 (transcript provided here), and its main aim is to introduce rare and interesting trees and to develop it as an arboretum. The council, in partnership with Oxford Brookes, is now proposing to link Headington Hill Hall with its park again. At present, although the public are allowed in the grounds of both, they are not able to cross from one to the other. Long-term aims include developing Dairy Lodge (opposite Cheney Lane) for educational purposes and improving the Marston Road entrance.

Hospitals and traffic problems

• Oxford Mail, 18 May 2002:
  “Red tape holds up road work”
• Oxford Mail, 6 March 2002:
  “Transport survey ‘disappointment’ ”
• Oxford Mail, 15 November 2001:
  “Hospital staff urged to take bus”
• Oxford Mail, 9 July 2001:
  “More buses key to hospital jams”
• Oxford Mail, 22 June 2001:
  “Bus service to hospital to be axed”

Nuffield Orthopaedic Centre

• Oxford Mail, 30 March 2001:
  “Residents’ horror at ‘monster’ block”
• Oxford Mail, 13 June 2001:
  “New research centre ‘too high’, say residents”
• Oxford Mail, 15 August 2001:
  “Hospital plans may get go-ahead”
• Oxford Mail, 18 August 2001:
  “Nuffield revamp given the green light”

Sandfield Road

Residents in Sandfield Road say that their road has become a rat-run since the Sandfield Nursery was built at the JR Hospital.

• 22 July 2002:
  “Residents ask for traffic calming”

Cheney School

• Oxford Mail, 2 June 2001:
  “ ‘Brainwave’ to switch school”
• Oxford Mail, 10 December 2001:
  “School block on schedule”

School reorganization

• Oxford Mail, 24 December 2001:
  “£30m work paves way for schools shake-up”

Headington’s most expensive house?

The Oxford Mail of 2 November 2001 advertised a house in Headington for £1.5 million: it is North End in Jack Straw’s Lane.

Planning

Totem pole at 35 New High Street:

• Oxford Mail, 14 June 2001:
  “Totem pole looks set to stay”
• Oxford Mail, 18 June 2001:
  “Couple can keep totem pole”

The Radcliffe Infirmary gained permission to move to Headington:

• Oxford Mail, 5 July 2001:
  “Legal hurdles overcome for JR”

Trees of Upper Meadow:

• Oxford Mail, 16 August 2001:
  “Trees for the chop”

Lower Farm:

• Oxford Mail, 16 August 2001:
  “Vow of silence promised”
• Oxford Mail, 18 August 2001:
  “Councillor allowed to change farmhouse”

St Hilda’s plans for youth hostel in Jack Straw’s Lane

• Oxford Mail, 29 April 2002:
  “College wants to convert hostel into student flats”

Barton

• Oxford Mail, 21 February 2001:
  “Cinderella’s children”
• Oxford Mail, 30 March 2001:
  “School buildings are p*** poor, says vicar”

Central Headington: Residents’ Parking

A consultation document on a revised scheme was sent to central Headington residents by the county council, which in 2002 took over responsibility for traffic management in Oxford from the city. Some roads showed a small reduction in the number of parking spaces generally. The “residents’ only” parking signs would have to be removed from Norton Close, Nursery Close, and Cecil Sharp Place because no authorization for the signs was obtained by the city council; and the council admitted that restrictions in the Lime Walk area were not being enforced because the road markings had worn away.

• Oxford Mail, 22 August 2002:
  “Parking restrictions not being enforced”