HEADINGTON NEWS ARCHIVE for 2007
Shops in 2007
Balfour News failed to get permission to become a restaurant and remained to let
Ladbroke’s moved to the former Lloyds TSB second branch at 103 London Road
Daisy Chain Cards & Gifts opened in the former CardFair shop in Windmill Road
Filipino-Oriental Groceries closed in October 2007
Launa Stone moved in to the former Time & Elegance shop in November 2007
Londis took over the former Budgen’s Express (7/11) shop
Nicolas opened in the former Oddbins
Olan Mills Photographic Studio was under offer
Oxonian Travel moved to Wantage on 7 November 2007
Smart’s Fish & Chips is closed, and will be demolished and rebuilt as a restaurant
Special Days card shop in Windmill Road closed at Christmas 2006 and was vacant throughout 2007
Starbucks moved into the former Pronuptia shop on 22 October 2007
West of Java closed in June 2007
The former G.H. Williams bike shop was refitted as an internet café
St Ebbe’s Church in Headington
St Ebbe’s Headington opened in November 2007 (planning permission 07/00701/FUL) in the former Exclusive Brethren building at 30–34 Lime Walk.
St Ebbe’s Church in Oxford had previously been renting accommodation at Headington School for its evening service (from 2001) and its morning service (from 2004).
Changes at the crossroads
The phasing of the traffic lights at the central Headington crossroads was modified so that traffic now emerges at the same time from Old High Street and Windmill Road, with cars wishing to turn right giving way to oncoming traffic and passing in front of each other on the new road markings.
There is a right-turn green arrow into Windmill Road once the Oxford-bound traffic was stopped. When this arrow is running, a left-turn green arrow is shown to vehicles waiting in Windmill Road to turn left.
Charity shop thieves
Charity shops in Headington are used to people stealing items from donation bags left outside the shop at the weekend, but Clic Sargent has now had its locked waste bins cut open by thieves.
- 17 August 2007:
“Thieves target charity shops” - Headington’s charity shops
Plaques stolen from crematorium
About 200 bronze plaques were stolen from the garden of remembrance at Oxford Crematorium in Bayswater Road on the night of Monday 17 September.
- Oxford Mail, 20 September 2007:
“Plaques stolen from crematorium” - Oxford Crematorium
Stile Road
Police caught twelve motorists in one day driving the wrong way down Stile Road.
- Oxford Mail, 4 July 2007:
“Police blitz wrong-way drivers”
Highfield FunDay
Highfield Residents’ Association held a FunDay in All Saints Road on Saturday 23 June. Stephen Tall (city councillor for Headington ward and Deputy Lord Mayor) unveiled the new community notice-board.
Smoking ban
Headington’s old-style bus shelters on the London Road are “substantially enclosed” and so people are no longer allowed to smoke in them now that the ban on smoking in public places has come into force in Eng.
Headington pubs are finding different ways of coping with the ban:
- The Butcher’s Arms in Wilberforce Street banned smoking altogether four months in advance:
Oxford Mail, 3 March 2007:
“Pub jumps gun on smoking ban” - The White Hart in Old Headington was granted permission (07/01250/FUL and 07/01249/LBC) for a single-storey covered pergola to replace existing to create external drinking area, with new retaining walls and steps to rear of building
- The White Horse on the London Road was granted permission (07/00485/FUL) to cover the existing small pergola at the front with a polycarbonate glazing roof:
- The Black Boy in Old Headington was refused planning permission for a single-storey lean-to at the side to provide a covered walkway (07/00856/FUL)
- The Royal Standard has put up a large umbrella in its garden to protect its smokers
EF Language School
The Oxford Education First (EF) Language School has now moved into the former Plater College.
Advised by Drivers Jonas, EF beat Brookes University and other educational establishments interested in the site with a sealed bid of £5.6m. The 2.67 acre site was sold with planning permission in place for a further 32 study bedrooms, a staff flat, office, and teaching facilities.
Plater College moved to Pullen’s Lane in Headington from Boar’s Hill in 1975, purchasing the site of a large house called Fairfield which it then demolished. It was the only Roman Catholic adult residential college in England. It closed on 31 July 2005, and the Plater College Foundation abandoned its bid to sue the college over this decision just days before the hearing on 11 November 2005.
- Oxford Mail, 21 April 2006:
“Brookes loses out in bid for Plater College site” - Oxford Mail, 31 March 2006:
“Brookes bids for college site” - Oxford Mail, 7 June 2005:
“Plater fight goes to court” - Oxford Mail, 12 April 2005:
“Courses for foreign students were ‘rubbish’ ” - Oxford Mail, 18 February 2005:
“College’s supporters prepare rescue bid” - Oxford Mail, 3 February 2005:
“Catholic college to close after 80 years”
No. 7 bus route split
The Stagecoach No 7 route in spring 2007 was split into two sections. The 7C runs between Barton and the city centre, and the 7A/ 7B between the city centre and Kidlington.
The Oxford Bus Company divided its services in the same way in July 2005, so there is no longer any bus running directly between Headington and Kidlington.
New bus route through JR
The new bus-route through the John Radcliffe Hospital came into operation, with the No. 10 bus running in both directions via Osler Road and Northway, cutting a seven-minute bus journey to two minutes.
The existing entrance to the hospital from Osler Road was widened, a new road was cut through the hospital grounds, and a new entrance was made in Saxon Way. The route will eventually include a new bus-stop at the Manor Surgery.
The No. 10 no longer goes through Headley Way, and in Wood Farm it goes along Titup Hall Drive instead of Masons Road.
Play areas to close
It was agreed in 2007 that the following Headington play areas would close:
– Bernwood Park, Barton
– Girdlestone Road
– Sermon Close, Risinghurst
– Chillingworth Crescent, Wood Farm
– Masons Road, Wood Farm
- Oxford Mail, 21
May 2007:
“14 city play areas face closure”
Prisoner recaptured in Headington
Lee Pullen, a violent burglar who escaped from an open prison on Sunday 3 June, was recaptured in the Valentia Road play area on Thursday 7 June.
- Oxford Mail, 9 June 2007:
“Prisoner recaptured: reaction”
Trees for the chop
Three trees in the Sandfield Road recreation ground, and two in the Staunton Road one, were deemed dangerous and felled.
Old school in Perrin Street
Plans to convert the former New Headington Infant School in Perrin Street and the adjoining teacher’s house (both dating from 1876) into an enlarged house and flat were approved (06/01934/FUL), and the building was sold in 2006 (guide price £475,000).
Bus catches fire in Headington
The engine of a No. 8 bus going to Barton caught fire opposite Oxford Brookes University at about 9am on Thursday 4 January 2007.
- Pictures of the bus fire
- Oxford Mail, 4 January 2007:
“Passengers flee burning bus”
G.H. Williams
George Henry Williams junior, who continued to work in the cycle shop founded in 1912 by his father until its closure in June 2006, died on 28 December 2006 at the age of 95.
His son Bob Williams still does cycle repairs from home: tel. 01865 762664 or mobile 07962 896663
New private clinic in Headington
The Oxford Clinic for Specialist Surgery opened in 2007 on the Nuffield Orthopaedic Centre site in Windmill Road, taking over the NOC’s private work, offering orthopaedic surgery, neurosurgery, radiology, rheumatology, and physiotherapy.
(Update: later renamed BMI: The Oxford Clinic):
- Oxford Mail, 21 July 2006:
“Private clinic coming to NOC”
Windmill School site
The school outbuildings and part of the main school block of the former Windmill First School were demolished in 2007, and the main school building was extended and converted to Rectory Homes residential accommodation. New blocks of accommodation were alsobuilt, making a total of 43 residential flats (25×two-bed, 18×one-bed) on one and two floors. The design includes 40 car parking spaces, cycle parking, bin stores and scaping (application 05/01602/RES).
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Background
Windmill Primary School completed its move into the former Headington Middle School buildings next door in the summer of 2004, making the 1908 building that had been used by Windmill First School redundant.
The Iqra School Committee of Oxford’s Islamic community had hoped to buy the site of the old school from Oxfordshire County Council for £1.5m to create Oxford’s first full-time Islamic school, but on 11 May 2004 the county council’s Learning & Scrutiny Committee accepted recommendations to turn down the plan.
Outline planning permission (02/00462/OUT) was granted to Oxfordshire County Council on 2 October 2003 for “Demolition of school outbuildings and part of main school buildings. Conversion of the retained school building to residential and outline application for the residential development of the school grounds to the rear. New access to Margaret Road”.
- Oxford Mail, 7 May 2004:
“Muslims’ battle for school looks lost” - Oxford Mail, 24 October 2003:
“Muslims call for religious school” - Oxford Mail, 18 July 2002:
“School site to be used for housing” - Oxford Mail, 29 April 2002:
“Flats plan worries residents”
Car vandals attack in Margaret Road
A man who saw vandals damaging cars in Margaret Road on 19 October 2007 was attacked and his leg was broken.
- Oxford Mail, 22 October 2007:
“Gang breaks man’s leg”
Two awards for Headington
The Oxford Preservation Trust Environmental Awards for 2007 included certificates for Headington Action for the Storybook Tree in Bury Knowle Park, and Oxford Brookes University for the new weather-vane on Headington Hill Hall.
Streets for People
Highfield Residents’ Association celebrated “Streets for People” Day on Saturday 22 September in All Saints Road.
Electrician injured by thief
An electrician working at Valentia Road was seriously injured on Wednesday 26 September 2007 by a thief attempting to steal his tools.
- Oxford Mail, 3 October 2007:
“Electrician took on tool thieves”
Shotover Mound
This new development of 18 two-bedroom apartments in Spring Lane, Headington Quarry is was completed in 2007. Scott Fraser marketed these houses at £240,000 each.
The Rifles
The Royal Green Jackets Territorial Army Infantry Division at Slade Park Barracks no longer exists: it was merged with three other infantry regiments to form a new regiment called “The Rifles” on 1 February.
- Oxford Mail, 31 January 2007:
“County regiment marches into history”
Two-way cycle lane
In 2007 t he county council officially recognized the pavement cycle lane outside Headington Junior School as being two-way by painting two-way markings.
Church shortlisted for award
The new Headington Baptist Church was shortlisted (last 6) for the 2007 ACE / RIBA Award for Religious Architecture.
Plans for flats
91 Old Road: The planning application to demolish the existing dwelling and erect a two-storey building to accommodate 4xtwo-bed flats was approved (06/02279/FUL)
50 Lime Walk: The original plan to convert an outbuilding at (06/02216/FUL) was withdrawn, and a new plan to convert it to form 1x1 bedroom residential unit was refused (06/02507/FUL)
91 Lime Walk: The application to replace this with eight houses (06/02109/FUL) was withdrawn,
Children’s Hospital
The Oxford Children’s Hospital opened on the John Radcliffe site in mid-January 2007.
Work started on this 106-bed hospital on four storeys at the end of September 2003. The NHS contributed £5m towards the hospital, and a further £15m came from the fund-raising Chox appeal.
- Oxford Mail, 26 June 2003:
“Children’s hospital faces sewage fight” - Oxford Mail, 26 Mar 2003:
“Half of hospital target raised” - Oxford Mail, 7 Mar 2003:
“New children’s hospital plans sent to council” - Oxford Mail, 5 September 2002:
“Oxford to get £20m children’s hospital”
Cuckoo Lane
Contractors widened Cuckoo Lane westwards from Woodlands Road on 9 July 2007. The new road was a temporary one to aid current building works at Rye St Antony School.
The school was granted planning permission in February 2007 for a new sports hall (06/02436/FUL)
Londis extends licence
Londis was granted a licence application on 20 June 2007 (07/00587/PREM) to sell alcohol until 2am on seven days a week.
Ramsay Road fire
Two youths aged 17 and 18 were accused of arson with intent to endanger life in connection with a severe house fire in Ramsay Road on Halloween night (31 October 2007). The fire was caused by a firework being set off through the letterbox at about 1am.
- Oxford Mail, 5
November 2007:
“Fire chief calls for fireworks review” - Oxford Mail, 2
November 2007:
“Family escape firework blaze”
Headington Farmers’ Market
The first-ever Headington Farmers’ Market was held at the top of Kennett Road on 28 September 2007.
C. S. Lewis Nature Reserve
Relatives of Henry Stephen are upset that the name of the Henry Stephen/C.S. Lewis Reserve in Risinghurst was changed to the C.S. Lewis (In Memory of Henry Stephen) Nature Reserve.
- Oxford Mail, 12
June 2007:
“Dispute over reserve’s name”
Shark’s 21st birthday
John Buckley, who sculpted the shark, repainted it ready for its 21st birthday on 9 August 2007, but subsequent major work had to be done to the roof.
This website had a record 1,597 individual visitors on the shark’s birthday. For the full story of Headington’s most famous resident, click the shark at the top left of any page on this site.
- Oxford Mail, 15
August 2007:
“The dawn of Bill’s amazing flying fish” - The
Times, 9 August 2007:
“The Headington Shark is 21 today” - Guardian leader, 9 August 2007:
“In praise of … the Headington shark” - Oxford Mail, 8
August 2007:
“Shark comes of age” - Oxford Mail, 5
July 2007:
“Shark comes of age”
Bury Knowle Park
Local residents called for Bury Knowle Park to be locked at night.
- Oxford Mail, 12
September 2007:
“Lock park to keep gangs out”
Back garden plans approved
Plans by Central Building Contractors for another back-garden development were approved in May 2007 (07/00399/FUL). They are for a two-storey building to provide five flats (4x2 bed, 1x2 bed, including accommodation in roof space) in the back gardens of 139, 141, and 143 Windmill Road (which run along the north side of Gathorne Road).
Quarry gets a Conservative
Tia MacGregor, the city councillor for Quarry & Risinghurst, changed from being a LibDem to an Independent in February and three months later became a Conservative without recourse to a by-election. (Since becoming a Conservative, Dr McGregor has called for the Green Road subway to be decorated like the Headington one.)
- Oxford Mail, 18 July 2007:
“Subway blues”
- Oxford Mail, 2 June 2007:
“New Tory councillor defends her move” - Oxford Mail, 17 May 2007:
“Two jump ship to Tories” - Oxford Mail, 18 May 2007
“Tories applaud as two defect” - Oxford Mail, 13 February 2007:
“Third councillor leaves LibDems”
Another Headington cannabis “farm”
At 8.15am on Tuesday 19 December police raided an empty house in Old Road near Wood Farm where 500 cannabis plants were growing
This brings the total number of cannabis “farms” found in Headington in 2007 to to twelve (compared with just one in 2006).
- Oxford Mail, 18 December 2007:
“£88,000 cannabis haul seized” - List of Headington cannabis farms
Deputy Lord Mayor
Headington city councillor Stephen Tall was chosen Deputy Lord Mayor in May 2007.
Children’s hospital open
The 106-bed Children’s Hospital opened on Monday 22 January 2007.
The Radcliffe Infirmary is now closed, and the last patients moved up to new West Wing of the John Radcliffe Hospital on 14 January 2007.
Sadly David Edwards, the NHS Trust’s Transport & Planning Development Manager who worked so hard to reduce the traffic effects of the hospital move, died suddenly on 9 January aged 55.
- Photographs
- Oxford Mail, 13 January 2007:
“City says bye bye to the RI” - Oxford Mail, 9 April 2007:
“Transport man remembered”
Church magazine goes online
Headington Baptist Church in 2007 was one of the few churches in the country to produce an audio church magazine that can be heard online rather than a paper one.
Crash in central Headington
An accident involving a bus and two cars occurred at the Stile Road junction at about 8.45am on the morning of Tuesday 27 November.
- Oxford Mail, 27 November 2007:
“Bus driver faces court after crash”
Second betting shop
Betfred was granted a betting licence for the former Ladbroke’s shop at Holyoake Hall (Ladbroke’s having taken the old licence with them when they crossed the road (07/01102/PDC). They have also been granted planning permission for a new non-illuminated fascia sign and a projecting sign (07/01912/ADV).
Vallis Alley closure
Vallis Alley, which runs from Holley Crescent through to Quarry High Street, was closed for six months from 20 February to allow music studios to be built by Beecher Acoustics. They had to extend the period of closure after a large hole was discovered.
- Oxford Mail, 11 August 2007:
“Anger as alley stays closed”
Armed robbery
A £5,000 reward was offered to track down an armed robber who wielded a gun in a raid at at Co-op Travel on the London Road in February 2007.
It was the third raid in two months at the shop: on Friday 29 December 2006 around 4pm two men claiming to be armed threatened staff at the same premises and stole a large amount of cash, and thieves stole £20,000 in travellers’ cheques just after 1pm on Friday 2 February 2007. In the first two raids, £50,000 was stolen.
- Oxford Mail, 12 May 2007:
“£5,000 reward to catch armed robber”
- Oxford Mail, 5 February 2007:
“Robbers snatch £20,000 in second raid” - Oxford Mail, 2 January 2007:
“Travel staff in raid ordeal”
African Choir visit
The African Children’s Choir gave a “stunning” concert at Headington Baptist Church on Friday 8 June.
Sikh Parade in Headington
On Sunday 22 April more than a hundred Sikhs celebrated Vaisakhi by parading from Cheney Community Centre along Gipsy Lane and down through St Clement’s to the Plain, returning to the community centre via Morrell Avenue.
- Pictures of the parade
- Oxford Mail, 21 April 2007:
“Chief saves city parade”
Headington roundabout
The new £3.75 million “hamburger” Headington (or Green Road) roundabout opened on 3 December. It has a one-way lane going straight across the middle for traffic from London aiming for the northern bypass, with slip-roads to Cowley, Headington, and Bayswater/Barton. The four main entrances to the roundabout (but not the Bayswater Road) are now controlled by traffic lights.
In January the roundabout was put under 24-hour surveillance after a vandal twice opened the control box in the centre of the roundabout with a special tool and switched off its traffic lights.
- Photographs of the new roundabout and general information
- Oxford Mail, 26 January 2007:
“Traffic light ‘mischief’ likely to be inside job”
Nuffield Orthopaedic Centre
The new buildings at the NOC were officially opened by David Cameron on 22 March 2007.
Phase 3 was due to start in mid-April, with demolition of the vacated buildings (including the main block, theatres, the children’s ward, Towler Hall, and Wingfield House) beginning in May.
The Board of the NOC Trust are now considering demolishing the Mary Marlborough Centre and offering the for development as a hotel, a block of flats, or for car-parking.
- Oxford Mail, 23 March 2007:
“Rebuilt hospital opens doors” - Oxford Mail, 27 March 2007:
“Hospital charity fears losing site”
Farewell to Wingfield Home
The Wingfield Convalescent Home (latterly a nurses’ home) was demolished in early October 2007 as part of the next phase of building at the Nuffield Orthopaedic Centre. The home was designed by William Wilkinson and opened in 1872. It marks a mark in the history of Headington, as all the buildings of the NOC are in its garden; and it was one of the earliest convalescent homes in the country.
New bus link to JR a success
The New 700 Park & Ride service from Water Eaton to the John Radcliffe Hospital, launched on 15 January 2007, is proving a success.
Meanwhile the Oxford Radcliffe Hospitals NHS Trust raised more than £1.2m from its car parks in 2004/5.
- Oxford Mail, 19 March 2007:
“Passengers praise JR bus link” - BBC: “Hospital car parks make millions”
- Oxford Mail, 21 March 2007:
“Hospitals £1.7m from car parks”
Fire at Pullen’s Lane allotments
A fire engine was called to the allotments at the top of Pullen’s Lane at 4.30pm on 20 March, where a serious shed fire had spread to neighbouring trees.
At 6pm the same day a disused pavilion at Milham Ford School in Jack Straw’s Lane was also burnt down
West’s Garden Centre site
A third planning application (06/01470/FUL) for the site of West’s Garden Centre at 74 Windmill Road was approved, and the building of what is to be known as “West’s Gardens” is now underway on both sides of the site.
The original plan (05/01568/FUL) was approved by the council, but then had to be extensively amended to take account of an existing surface water sewer that runs across the length of the southern part of the site.
The council made a split decision on the amended application (06/00846/FUL), granting permission to Thomas Homes for the development on the south side of the original house, but refusing permission for the development to the north. The developers launched an appeal to the First Secretary of State against the council’s decision on this second planning application, but withdrew it on 20 September.
Car collides with London bus
A 14-year-old girl suffered serious head injuries, and she and the driver had to be cut from the car, after a collision with an Oxford-bound Espress bus near the Collinwood Road junction in Risinghurst just after 9am on Friday 16 March 2007.
- Oxford Mail, 17 March 2007:
“Girl injured in A40 crash”
Police shoot at car
Police fired at a car on the London Road near the Headington roundabout on Tuesday 2 October 2007.
- Oxford Mail, 3 October 2007:
“Two held as police fire at car”
Lady of Manor was King Charles I’s mistress
Evidence now appears to prove that Jane Whorwood, Lady of the Manors of both Headington and of Holton, was the mistress of King Charles I
Stabbing outside Royal Standard
A 30-year-old man suffered a serious stab wound to the stomach outside the Royal Standard pub just before 7.30pm on Saturday 8 September 2007. A 19-year-old man was charged with wounding with intent.
- Oxford Mail, 10 September 2007:
“Man remanded on wounding charge”