According to property portal Rightmove, this is outpacing every other part of Britain with a 45 per cent year-on-year increase – well above the national trend, which is currently four per cent lower than the same period last year.

Brendan Kay, managing director of Parkers Properties, said: “The research backs up what we are seeing on the ground in places like Witney, Carterton, and Eynsham, where demand for two-bedroom properties is huge.”

A key driver of this demand is the growing belief that buying offers better value than renting.

Rightmove figures put the average asking price for a first-time buyer property – defined as homes with up to two bedrooms – at £283,172 in West Oxfordshire, compared with the national average of £228,048.

Mr Kay said the lettings market is also playing a significant role.

He said: “Another report by Rightmove last year looking at the lettings market highlighted that West Oxfordshire has some of the fastest growing rents in the country.”

Mr Kay believes supply issues are adding to the pressure.

He said: “One of the other big factors fuelling the increase in demand from first-time buyers is the lack of new-build homes coming to market.

“During 2025, only 79 new builds were completed in West Oxfordshire compared with more than 3,500 in the last five years and the pipeline going forward is equally worrying, with barely 300 new homes under construction.”

Parkers Properties has branches in Witney and Eynsham.

The Lap the Lake open water event, held in Reading on Saturday, May 16, raised £4,368 for Sue Ryder’s palliative care services.

The funds will help support the Sue Ryder Duchess of Kent Hospice and the Sue Ryder Palliative Care Hub South Oxfordshire.

Ashni Parmar, regional fundraising team manager at Sue Ryder, said: “It was wonderful to see so many of our supporters at our second Lap the Lake event.

“We are incredibly grateful to everyone who took part and helped raise £4,368.

“This support means we can continue providing expert and compassionate care to people when they need it most.”

Held at the Hi5 Ski School and sponsored by HPS Reading, the event offered a variety of swim options, including 500m, 750m, and 1km distances, while more experienced swimmers took on the 2.5km challenge in Reading Lake.

Jo MacKenzie from Reading, who took part in the event, said: “Lap the Lake was such a great event.

“Everyone was so friendly, welcoming, and encouraging.

“The event itself was well organised and had great facilities.

“I’m part of a group called the Caversham Owls who all joined me today.

“We’ve attended Lap the Lake twice now and will definitely be returning next year.”

Earlier in 2026, Russell & Bromley announced all but three of its 36 stores were at risk as they had not been bought in a rescue deal.

Next snapped up the luxury footwear business from administration in a rescue deal, but the future of most of the brand’s stores and 440 staff remained uncertain.

Closing down signs then appeared at the Russell & Bromley store at Westgate Oxford, with customers warned of the expected closure.

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The shop has been left completely empty since last month, with its shelves bare after its closure.

The unit, which can be found on the bottom floor of the retail location near John Lewis, now only has a paper notice on the door as a reminder alongside the Russell & Bromley signs.

“This store is now closed,” read the notice.

“Find your nearest store,” it added along with Next’s website link.

Now, according to a report in Drapers, Russell & Bromley’s recently shuttered store in Richmond, south west London, has reopened under the ownership of Next.

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It remains to be seen if the brand would reopen a store in Oxfordshire or if the products will be stocked at Next stores instead.

There is a Next at Westgate Oxford, not far from the closed Russell & Bromley, as well as other stores in the county, including Bicester, Didcot and Witney.

Would-be shoppers were also recently told that neither gift cards nor loyalty points would be accepted at the shoe shop.

A statement in March said: “While the previous operator has ceased trading, the Russell & Bromley brand will be operated by Next in the near future.”

The Next website at the time added: “These can no longer be used and we will not be able to honour these. For any queries about these, please contact the Administrators.”