Oxford News
Firefighters still battling major caravan park fire after 13 hours
The incident saw huge plumes of black smoke billowing into the sky from miles around last night (Sunday, July 12) from Fyfield Wick near Abingdon.
Residents were evacuated from the scene by emergency services and directed towards Kingston Colts Football Club, where they were being supported.
Now, as of 7am this morning (Monday, July 13), Oxfordshire Fire and Rescue Service crews are still at the site, fighting the major blaze.
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A statement made by the service today said: “Fire Crews from across the county and wider remain at the scene this morning following the significant fire that swept through Oaks caravan park and surrounding fields yesterday afternoon at Fyfield Wick, Nr Kingston Bagpuize.
“The first of over thirty 999 calls was received at 16:39 on Sunday, and at its height fourteen fire crews, seven specialist vehicles and additional officers from across Oxfordshire, supported by DWFireRescue, Royal Berkshire Fire and Rescue Service and Buckinghamshire Fire & Rescue Service were tackling the fire. In total, around 125 firefighters have attended the incident to date.
“Supported by Thames Valley Police, Oxfordshire County Council Joint Oxfordshire Resilience Team, Rapid Relief Team UK, South Oxfordshire & Vale of White Horse District Council, and local organisations, evacuated residents were moved to safety at a centre set up at the nearby cricket ground.
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“Eleven further crews have been in attendance throughout the night dealing with the incident, with a presence still remaining on scene this morning.
“Fire Control staff from the joint Thames Valley Fire Control Service have spent the past twelve hours co-ordinating significant resource movements and ensuring fire cover across the wider Thames Valley, along with multiple other incidents.
“There are no reported injuries from the incident, and the cause of the fire is currently considered accidental. Fire investigation will continue today.
“Across the UK, fire crews have dealt with high numbers of incidents in the hot, dry weather and urge the public to continue to take additional care whilst the risk of fires starting remains very high.”
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A statement from a Thames Valley Police spokesperson last night (Sunday, July 12) said: “We are currently supporting Oxfordshire Fire and Rescue Service at a fire at Oaks Caravan Park, Fyfield Wick, Abingdon.
“Evacuations are ongoing, and we would like to thank the community for following the advice of emergency services at the scene.
“Evacuated residents are being directed to Kingston Colts Football Club, where support is being provided.
“Road closures are currently in place on Faringdon Road, the A415 Kingston Road, A338 and Digging Lane.
“If you live nearby, please keep your windows and doors closed as a precaution.
“We recognise this may be uncomfortable given the current temperature, but it is important to help prevent smoke entering your property.
“If possible, please avoid the immediate area and allow emergency services the space they need to deal with the incident safely.
“Thank you for your patience and understanding. We’ll share further updates when we can.”
Oxford News
Bottom 20 Oxfordshire GP surgeries revealed – check the list
The results of the 2026 GP Patient Survey for NHS England were released last week containing data including how easy patients find it to contact their GP as well as reception and administration ratings.
Almost 3 million surveys were distributed by market research agency Ipsos with around 650,000 responses received in England between January and April.
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The public also gave their views of the ‘overall experience’ of their local GP surgery, ranking them very good, fairly good, neither good nor poor, fairly poor and very poor.
Now, the Oxford Mail has compiled a list of the 20 surgeries that received the highest percentage of very poor votes, with the national average being 4 per cent.
Technically the worst performing GP surgery in Oxfordshire was Luther Street Medical Practice in Oxford with 14 per cent of respondents calling it very poor.
Temple Cowley Surgery (Image: Google Maps)
However only 4 per cent of its patients asked filled in the survey with 55 per cent of them in fact giving it the highest grade, above the national average.
Another Oxford-based surgery, Temple Cowley, wasn’t far behind with 13 per cent saying it is very poor.
Around a quarter of those asked filled in the NHS survey for Temple Cowley (more than the national average), with 3 per cent rating it fairly poor and 12 per cent saying it’s neither good nor poor.
Representatives for both Luther Street and Temple Cowley both said there were reasons for their poor performances.
Luther Street Medical Practice (Image: Google Maps)
The spokesperson for Luther Street said: “Our patients are a unique and often vulnerable population who, like everyone else, require access to regular GP services and ongoing healthcare support.
“Many also face additional challenges that can make accessing and engaging with healthcare more difficult.”
Meanwhile, the spokesperson for Temple Cowley explained that it serves a community “with significant levels of deprivation”, with demand rising, workforce pressures and growing patient need all impacting its service.
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Also performing badly were Nuffield Health Centre in Witney and Woodlands Medical Centre in Didcot, which both received 10 per cent very poor scores.
At Oak Tree Health Centre in Didcot, 8 per cent of patients thought it was very poor.
Multiple surgeries were on 3 per cent but Bampton, Long Furlong, St Clement’s and Cogges are included because the percentage of people who called them fairly poor was higher.
The full list is here:
LUTHER STREET MEDICAL PRACTICE (Luther Street, Oxford) – 14 per cent
TEMPLE COWLEY HEALTH CENTRE (Temple Rd, Oxford) – 13 per cent
WOODLANDS MEDICAL CENTRE (Woodlands Road, Didcot) – 10 per cent
NUFFIELD HEALTH CENTRE (Woodstock Road, Oxford) – 10 per cent
OAK TREE HEALTH CENTRE (Tyne Avenue, Didcot) – 8 per cent
DIDCOT HEALTH CENTRE PRACTICE (Britwell Road, Didcot) – 7 per cent
DONNINGTON MEDICAL PARTNERSHIP (Henley Avenue, Oxford) – 6 per cent
THE KEY MEDICAL PRACTICE (Exeter Close, Kidlington) – 6 per cent
MARCHAM RD FAMILY HEALTH CENTRE (Marcham Road, Abingdon) – 5 per cent
MONTGOMERY HOUSE SURGERY (Piggy Lane, Bicester) – 5 per cent
NEWBURY STREET PRACTICE (Mably Way, Wantage) – 5 per cent
THE CHARLBURY MEDICAL CENTRE (Enstone Road, Chipping Norton) – 5 per cent
EYNSHAM MEDICAL GROUP (Conduit Lane, Eynsham) – 4 per cent
BEAUMONT ELMS PRACTICE (Beaumont Street, Oxford) – 4 per cent
WINDRUSH MEDICAL PRACTICE (Welch Way, Witney) – 4 per cent
BARTLEMAS SURGERY (Manzil Way, Oxford) – 4 per cent
BAMPTON SURGERY (Landells, Bampton) – 3 per cent (20 per cent said it was fairly poor)
LONG FURLONG MEDICAL CENTRE (Loyd Close, Abingdon) – 3 per cent (11 per cent said it was fairly poor)
ST. CLEMENT’S SURGERY (Temple Street, Oxford) – 3 per cent (9 per cent said it was fairly poor)
COGGES SURGERY (Cogges Hill Road, Witney) – 3 per cent (8 per cent said it was fairly poor)
Oxford News
Recycling centre loophole closed stopping illegal activity
Since the booking system began in January, 67 users have had their access blocked, which Oxfordshire County Council says saves the taxpayer thousands of pounds in disposal costs.
Suspicious patterns of usage has been identified, including unusually high frequencies of visits, the use of multiple sites across Oxfordshire and activity inconsistent with normal household use.
This analysis has identified companies undertaking property clearance activities, handymen, professional gardeners and other businesses generating waste as part of their commercial operations.
Redbridge recycling centre in Oxford (Image: Oxfordshire County Council)
One trader was found to have used the tip service more than 60 times in 2026, visiting all seven sites across Oxfordshire.
Where sufficient evidence is obtained that an individual is abusing the service, access to Oxfordshire’s recycling centres is blocked.
Since the updated rules, recycling, composting and reuse rates have increased month on month, driven by less waste being incinerated or landfilled and more recycled, the council said.
Householders are bringing approximately 10kg more waste per visit than last year (increasing from about 45 to 55kg per visit).
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Over £130,000 was saved from February to April 2026, compared to the same period last year, mostly through avoided incineration and landfilling costs.
And more than £10,000 was generated from the new £15 out-of-county charges.
The number of visits to tips is down 36 per cent compared to the same period last year, but County Hall attributes this to better prevention of treader abuse and people brining more waste per visit.
Laura Gordon, Oxfordshire County Council’s cabinet member for environment and economy (Image: Supplied)
Laura Gordon, cabinet member for the environment and economy, said: “Household recycling centres are for household waste – not trade waste.
“Trader abuse of the HWRCs costs taxpayers thousands and undercuts legitimate traders who are paying to dispose of waste.
“The measures introduced earlier this year are preventing commercial waste from illegally entering HWRCs, ensuring taxpayers are not covering disposal costs and preventing unfair competition impacting legitimate trade waste operators.”
The county council and Oxfordshire’s district and city councils have been closely monitoring fly-tipping.
A spokesman for the county council said: “Data does not indicate any new trends emerging since the changes were introduced, nor increases outside of normal ranges that may suggest the new HWRC policies are leading to more fly-tipping.
“However, data will continue to be collected and analysed to ensure the best possible understanding of fly-tipping in Oxfordshire.
“A wider review of the changes will be published in December 2026.”
Customers must book a slot online on the council’s website before visiting their tip. Bookings are available up to two weeks in advance or 30 minutes prior, subject to availability.
Oxford News
Bitcoin millionaire asked £224k towards Oxford cycle parking
Israeli-Canadian Bitcoin millionaire investor Roy Sebag, who owns GoldMoney Properties, bought the Clarendon Centre in 2024 for more than £30m.
Since last year, the centre has been closed with retailers including TK Maxx moving to the Westgate shopping centre or other locations.
Earlier this year, the business has sent in plans to Oxford City Council to revamp the centre and square.
How the new square could look at the Clarendon Centre (Image: GP Clarendon Square Ltd)
Oxfordshire County Council has now asked the developer for £224,060 to put towards parking spaces for bicycles in Queen Street and Cornmarket Street.
Tim Peart, transport technical lead at County Hall, has written a letter to Oxford City Council requesting the money from the developer.
Mr Peart said: “The applicant proposes that a number of public cycle parking spaces could be accommodated on Queen Street and Cornmarket Street.
“Identifying suitable locations for more cycle parking in the city centre has always been a challenge.
“In addition, the scheme that OCC are collecting contributions towards will include cycle parking and other alterations to those streets.
“I would be keen to avoid abortive works whereby the applicant installs public cycle parking spaces only for these to be removed and relocated at some point after.
“Given that the Queen Street / Cornmarket Street scheme will include cycle parking, we propose that this matter is resolved through the contribution to that scheme.”
Kevin Cox, of Thames Valley Police, said the force has concerns around the proposed “large and enclosed” public cycle store.
He said it “limits surveillance” over the bicycles and will create “opportunities for concealed theft attempts” from the storage.
“Details need to be provided regarding how public cycle storage will be adequately protected from targeted theft attempts,” he said.
Mr Cox added: “The proposed development is likely to become a key focal space within the city centre, providing an area of public open space, of which there is currently very little within the locality.
“Following extensive meetings with the applicants and site owners, I am confident that their proposals for site management and maintenance are robust, realistic and achievable.”
Nick Small, for Oxford Bus Company, said: “Successive major development projects and not least the Westgate, have shown that the [cycle] space required is not insubstantial, and accommodating it is not straightforward without potentially causing wider conflicts.
“We note that the applicants have worked hard to maximise provision without unduly burdening pedestrian circulation and the wider experience of the public realm.
“With this challenge in view, it is appropriate to highlight the frequency, capacity and range of bus services serving the site, which by any measure, are exceptional.”
Oxford City Council will decide on the plans in due course.
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