Crime & Safety
Waitrose issues new customer notice on free coffee machines
Last month, the two coffee dispensers at the Botley Road Waitrose were out of order for about a week, leaving some customers disappointed they can no longer access their free cappuccino or flat white using their Waitrose card.
According to staff, the store was waiting for an engineer to source parts for the coffee machine, which is positioned close to the store’s entrance.
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One of the dispensers was eventually fixed, but now it has broken again, leaving customers with the choice of going without their free coffee, or buying one from the store’s cafe.
A member of staff said: “It’s a real shame this has happened again – we’ve got calls in to the engineers to come and fix it.
“This time round, a refrigeration part has gone which affects the milk.”
Another member of staff added: “Some of us use the machine as well – we notice when it’s not working.”
The customer notice fixed to the front of the coffee dispensers says: “Sorry, we are unable to serve hot drinks at the moment because our coffee machine is out of order.
“Please ask a partner (member of staff) if you require assistance.”
The issue is not a countrywide problem – coffee machines at other Waitrose stores including the one in Abingdon are working well.
The member of staff at the Botley Road store said she did not know how long it would be before the machines was fixed.
One customer, who works on a trading estate nearby, said: “Not again – the cappuccinos and flat whites this machine makes are excellent and I definitely need one first thing in the morning.
“I’m really hoping there isn’t a long delay this time before they fix it.”
The Waitrose chain, owned by the John Lewis Partnership, restored its free coffee offer in January 2025.
Following outrage over the withdrawal of the offer during the pandemic, the company told the nine million members on its My Waitrose loyalty scheme they would again be entitled to a complementary americano, cappuccino, latte or tea once a day regardless of whether they bought anything – as long as they have their own reusable cup.
In a statement, Waitrose said at the time: “Some of our My Waitrose members like to have the free coffee before they shop or during the shop, rather than afterwards, so we are just offering a bit of flexibility in response to customer feedback.”
There were queues at coffee stations and complaints from customers that the offer was attracting the “wrong type of shopper” when Waitrose introduced the perk in 2013.
In 2017, it cracked down on ‘freeloaders’ by forcing members to buy something before pouring themselves a free hot drink.
The scheme was scrapped during the Covid crisis, but reintroduced in November 2022 – again for customers making a purchases. This is no longer a requirement.
The free coffee offer is seen by some industry insiders as a way of building customer loyalty in the face of fierce competition from rivals M&S, which has been building a series of large foodhalls, including one in Abingdon.
A spokesperson for the John Lewis Partnership said last month: “We are sorry that the free hot drink offer is currently unavailable due to a fault with the coffee machine.
“We are working to fix it it as quickly as possible and apologise for the inconvenience.”
The Wroxton, near Banbury, is being marketed as a substantial hotel opportunity in a sought-after rural location popular with both leisure guests and business travellers.
Offering 32 guest bedrooms, the spot also has a large restaurant and bar area, which together can accommodate around 60 diners at full capacity.
There are also a number of meeting and function spaces, making the site suitable for corporate events, private parties and smaller conferences.
READ MORE: Oxfordshire country pub to reopen this month after three years closed
As well as the main hotel building, the sale includes a four-bedroom staff house, plus on-site parking with room for about 40 vehicles.
Miranda Ashcroft, Savills Hotel Capital Markets, said: “The Wroxton presents a genuine opportunity for an operator or investor seeking entry into the Cotswolds market, with significant potential for further value creation and future upside.”
The hotel’s location close to Silverstone Circuit is described as a key trading advantage, with major motorsport fixtures helping to drive exceptionally strong performance.
During the busiest race weekends, the hotel is said to achieve full occupancy, with room rates reportedly reaching as high as £900 per night.
READ MORE: Two Cotswolds towns named among top 50 spots in UK for 2026
Research from Savills has underlined the resilience of the Cotswolds hotel sector, where properties are continuing to outperform rival areas on revenue per available room (RevPAR).
So far this year, RevPAR in the region is understood to be 9.5 per cent higher than in 2023, supported by an average daily rate premium of more than £50 in 2025.
Occupancy levels across the Cotswolds have also remained robust, in contrast to the more pronounced swings being seen in other parts of the UK hotel market.
The Wroxton is being marketed by Savills Hotel Capital Markets on behalf of the current owners.
The Love Island host is understood to have completed the deal in December 2025 via Penny Property Holdings.
This is a company she incorporated in September, which lists the three‑bedroom home on official land registry records.
Located near Chipping Norton, the countryside bolthole joins the TV star’s expanding portfolio of homes after she admitted earlier this year that she now owns several properties in different locations.
READ MORE: Oxford University college buys Stonemason House for £6.7m
Occasional personal use has also been hinted at, with the cottage likely to double as a retreat for weekends or breaks between her many filming commitments.
When the 31-year-old is not staying there, the house is advertised at around £374 per night, with guests booking two nights or more promised a “locally sourced welcome basket” on arrival.
Strong reviews have been noted on major booking platforms, with one site awarding the property four out of five and Airbnb users rating it an impressive 4.96 out of five.
The rural getaway includes three bedrooms, a feature fireplace, a rustic kitchen, an outdoor dining space, on‑site parking and modern touches such as free Wi‑Fi and complimentary toiletries.
READ MORE: TV legend’s daughter selling £3.95m Oxfordshire mansion with swimming pool
Choosing the Cotswolds places Ms Jama among a host of famous names with homes in the area, including Sir David and Lady Victoria Beckham, Kate Moss and Simon Cowell.
News of the purchase first emerged in an Instagram Q&A last year, when she told fans: “To answer my DMs right now lol I also bought a house in the Cotswolds last year so I’ll be there sometimes, maybe I need to do a lil catch up life update vid or something soon.”
On the work front, the presenter has juggled fronting Love Island All Stars, filming Celebrity Traitors and launching the latest series of Love Island with a fresh line‑up of single contestants.
In her personal life, Ms Jama has recently addressed her split from Manchester City defender Ruben Dias, which ended in April after about 18 months together.
READ MORE: Jeremy Clarkson ‘parties in pub until 4.30am’ celebrating win
The broadcaster spoke openly for the first time when she replied to a podcast clip discussing her love life and said: “Truth is, even when I tried to keep my relationships private, we get photographed anyway; I’m an all-or-nothing girl.
“I don’t casually date, so yes, I will love loudly or not at all, and if it ends, it ends. I decided a long time ago not to base personal life decisions on public opinions.”
Maya Jama and Manchester City footballer Ruben Dias met in November 2024 at the MTV Europe Music Awards in Manchester.
Following their initial meeting, the pair began dating and later went public with their romance, but went their separate ways earlier this year.
The hugely popular Prime Video show began in 2021 and follows the agricultural adventures on Diddly Squat Farm in Chadlington, Oxfordshire.
Former Top Gear and Grand Tour host Jeremy Clarkson bought the farm back in 2008 and has been getting to grips with running it in recent years.
Five seasons have been released so far, with last year’s release of series four seeing eight episodes drop on Amazon’s streaming service.
READ MORE: Four new Clarkson’s Farm series five episodes released this week
Rachel Hawkins, who helped Jeremy Clarkson get his Cotswolds pub The Farmer’s Dog up and running in the new clips, lives nearby.
The hospitality entrepreneur, who specialises in helping rundown pubs, was selling off her £2.8 million country home in a raffle this time last year in June.
The six-bedroom house can be found in the heart of Stow-on-the-Wold, and entries to the draw were available from as little as £10.
After purchasing the pad in November 2015 for £750,000, Rachel set up home there with long-term partner Will Kennedy.
READ MORE: Jeremy Clarkson ‘parties in pub until 4.30am’ celebrating win
The 41-year-old star had chosen to move out with Will and their five dogs, with a novel way to sell the home.
A 4,000sq ft detached home included a unique bar area as well as a living area and eat-in kitchen flanked by a separate dining area on one side and a stylish family room on the other.
The family room has bi-fold doors that open onto a stone terrace, which features a garden room for sunny days.
READ MORE: Jeremy Clarkson reveals young farmers are supporting Reform UK
Downstairs also features a cosy sitting room, study and cellar, plus visitor features for a country pad with a boot room for wellies and a bespoke dog bed.
On the two upper floors of the Cotswold stone house are six bedrooms, all with en suites.
A huge master suite, a collection of guest rooms and a quirky loft room with two single beds under the eaves of the house make it a family host’s dream.
The luxury home comes fully kitted out with stylish furniture, and Raffle House also covers stamp duty costs and fees, so the winner will be able to move in cost-free.
READ MORE: Urinal blocks are being stolen from Jeremy Clarkson’s Cotswolds pub
The competition company also offers the option to take the cash equivalent of the nearly £3 million home if it’s not their “dream”.
A portion of each entry into the draw goes to the charity, chosen from one of 20 by the player.
This is exactly what happened, with Raffle House later confirming that the winner chose the money over the property.
Mr Clarkson has returned with a fifth series of Clarkson’s Farm this week, with four new episodes having dropped on Wednesday (June 3).
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