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Digital guide will help visitors discover city’s hidden gem

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The Discover App, now launched in Oxford through a partnership between Oxford City Council and Discover, offers curated suggestions for dining, shopping, and activities covering the central area of Oxford, including the city centre, parts of Jericho, Osney and East Oxford.

It is designed to support both visitors and residents in exploring lesser-known areas and businesses.

Councillor Ben Higgins, cabinet member for future economy and innovation at Oxfordshire County Council, said: “Oxfordshire County Council are delighted to have played a role in supporting this project via funding secured from the Contain Outbreak Management Fund, which was delivered and managed by Enterprise Oxfordshire.

“The Discover App for Oxford offers a great opportunity for visitors to the county, as well as local residents, to truly explore all that the city has to offer.”

The project was part-funded by the UK Government through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund and Enterprise Oxfordshire’s Visitor Economy Renaissance Programme.

This £1.64 million programme was designed to support the region’s tourism sector following the pandemic, with funding also secured from the government’s Contain Outbreak Management Fund via Oxfordshire County Council.

Helen Ryan-Wallis, director of strategic development and programmes at Enterprise Oxfordshire, said: “We are so glad to see Oxford go live on the Discover App and to begin to see the outcomes of this project be realised, supporting the flow of visitors across the city.

“Tourism is a significant part of our economy, which is ultimately for the benefit of Oxfordshire and enhances our residents’ quality of life – so it is vital we continue to champion our visitor economy for the benefit of visitors, our communities, and businesses.”

The wider Visitor Economy Renaissance Programme ran between 2022 and 2024 and included support such as the Visitor Economy Grant Scheme.

This provided £840,884 in funding to 52 businesses, as well as additional business support to improve competitiveness in the sector.

The Discover App project supports key priorities in the Oxfordshire Visitor Economy Vision & Destination Management Plan 2023-2028, which was commissioned by Enterprise Oxfordshire as part of the Renaissance Programme.

The app aims to improve digital wayfinding for pedestrians, raise awareness of underexplored areas, and increase visitor footfall across the city.

Enterprise Oxfordshire, formerly OxLEP, rebranded on April 1, 2025.

Oxfordshire County Council now serves as its sole company member.

The organisation continues to drive economic development through business support, skills, investment, and trade support services.

It also supports long-term strategies for sustainable economic growth.





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Comedy legend pays surprise visit to Jeremy Clarkson’s pub

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The former Top Gear and Grand Tour host bought the Windmill pub in Asthall for around £1,000,000 and renamed it to reflect his pets and agricultural pursuits.

Situated on a former dogging hotspot, according to Mr Clarkson, the watering hole featured in the fourth season of the Prime Video show Clarkson’s Farm.

The Farmer’s Dog has seen its fair share of famous names visit since it opened ahead of schedule back in August 2024.

READ MORE: 80s music legend to play gig in Oxfordshire this week

Former US talk show host Ellen DeGeneres and her actress wife, Portia de Rossi, live nearby and were spotted enjoying a conversation with James Blunt.

Status Quo drummer John Coghlan was also spotted enjoying a drink with his wife both last year and this year.

Then, last May, a British comedy and social media star visited the watering hole with Big John, making the trip to Oxfordshire.

The 52-year-old, whose real name is John Fisher, rose to online fame in recent years, becoming a viral sensation due to his love for Chinese food and his “bosh” catchphrase.

READ MORE: Five Cotswolds villages named among the prettiest in the UK

Uploading a selection of photographs from his pub visit on Instagram, Big John said: “Finally made it to The Farmers Dog pub.

“One night in Cotswolds, so stop off here first

“Big fan of Hawkstone Lager, I won’t nick the glass though. Bosh.”

The fifth season of Clarkson’s Farm will be released on Prime Video starting next month on Wednesday, June 3.

Two further episodes will then be released on the following Friday, before another pair is released the week thereafter.





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Michael Caine’s £9m riverside manor unsold after a year

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The Grade II listed mansion near Wallingford was first listed in early June last year and since then a buyer has not been found.

Initially it was priced at £10m by agent Savills but in February the classic 17th-century English country home was pulled from the market and then relaunched in March at £1m less than its original listing.

READ MORE: Former CEO at Oxford International College charged with £5m fraud

It is now priced at £9m.

Mr Caine lived there with his family from 1984 to 1999, with the legendary actor, who played Alfred in Christopher Nolan’s Batman trilogy and Scrooge in The Muppet Christmas Carol, selling the property in 2020.

At that time it was listed on the market for £6.95m.

Sir Michael Caine’s former mansion in Church Lane, North Stoke (Image: Savills)

Michael Caine

The former Oxfordshire home of Michael Caine has returned to the market for £9 millionSir Michael Caine’s former mansion in Church Lane, North Stoke (Image: Savills)

Its listing states: “Architecturally interesting, this Grade II listed 17th century, quintessentially English country house affords its future custodian a true Swallows and Amazons lifestyle.

“Marrying period charm with the convenience of 21st century living, Rectory Farm House provides the opportunity to entertain on a grand scale.

“It is a perfect country retreat for those seeking a private edge of village estate, hidden from view.”

The former Oxfordshire home of Michael Caine has returned to the market for £9 millionSir Michael Caine’s former mansion in Church Lane, North Stoke (Image: Savills)

With 600 feet of River Thames frontage, the six-bedroom mansion comes with a Moroccan-style jacuzzi, a sauna and a 100,000-litre swimming pool.

In addition, it has two kitchens, five bathrooms, a music room, a drawing room and sitting rooms.

It also has on the ground floor a utility room, gym, plant room, boot room and two lavatories.

Outside Sir Michael added extensively to the 17,000 sq ft property and planted many specimen trees in the grounds.

Sir Michael Caine’s former mansion in Church Lane, North Stoke (Image: Savills)

Property agent Victoria Knight, head of office at Savills in Henley, said: “Situated on the longest stretch of the Thames between locks, Rectory Farm House offers hours of hassle-free boating.

“Despite its 600 feet of frontage, the house cannot be seen from the river and is surrounded by beautiful gardens and grounds.

READ MORE: Update amid pothole repair concerns on ‘Grand Canyon’ road

“Beneath the formal lawns, waterside meadows are also a haven for all manner of wildlife, including otters, swans, kingfishers, hedgehogs, sparrowhawks, buzzards, rooks and deer.”

Outside, and included in the purchase, is a cottage equipped with a sitting room, kitchen, downstairs bedroom suite and mezzanine bedroom suite.

A three bay, timber clad garage provides an additional three car ports, a large machinery store, a log store and a first floor storage room.

In addition, there is a lodge that is presently used as staff accommodation.





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Ducati Monster found by Thames Valley Police in Oxfordshire

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The rural crime police found and recovered a red Ducati Monster in the Cane End area of south Oxfordshire, close to Reading.

According to officers, the bike was involved in an incident last month where it failed to stop for blue lights and made off in a “dangerous” manner having crashed into a police van.

It was found on Wednesday evening, May 13.

The Ducati Monster is a popular motorbike made by the Italian manufacturer since the early 1990s.

Some 350,000 Ducati Monsters have been produced since the model’s introduction in 1993, making it the best-selling and longest-running motorcycle in Ducati’s history.

Its often credited in the motorbike world as being the one that ‘saved Ducati’ due to its popularity and cheap development costs





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