Crime & Safety
Multiple UK car companies collapse in administration with jobs lost
Last month, administrators were appointed for Bicester-based Hedley Studios Ltd, with the Daily Express reporting that the majority of its employees have been made redundant.
Sources indicate that the Bicester Motion manufacturer, which made miniaturised electric versions of classic cars, had around 70 employees.
The company’s address was then changed from the historic Oxfordshire business park to Church Street in Birmingham, with the address belonging to Interpath, whose staff are leading the administration process.
READ MORE: Oxfordshire medical firm to close after going into liquidation
Hedley Studios, formerly known as The Little Car Company, was founded in 2018 and manufactures its cars at three-quarters the size of the original model, with the resulting vehicles typically costing £75,000 or more.
Then, this week, it was reported that a UK electric vehicle charging firm has gone into administration with 69 jobs lost.
EO Car Chargers designs and installs EV charging infrastructure, software and 24/7 maintenance and incident support.
It appointed administrators on Wednesday, April 8, after what it described as “challenging trading conditions in recent years”.
The business had been loss‑making following an expansion into overseas markets including the US, Australia, New Zealand and Italy.
READ MORE: Waterside £5.5m monastery with River Thames views up for sale
Also known as EO Charging, the company has produced more than 85,000 chargers and rolled out around 13,000 commercial charging stations in about 35 countries.
It has previously worked with Oxford‑based EV Charging Company to deliver home and business charging points across Oxfordshire.
Of the firm’s 93 employees, 69 have been made redundant, with the remaining staff staying on to help with the wind‑down.
Joint administrator and PwC partner Edward Williams said it was “regrettable that the company has been left with no option but to enter administration and that 69 employees have sadly been made redundant”.
He added: “The administrators are looking to assist customers in smoothly transitioning to alternative suppliers with the support of the remaining employees, before winding down the company in an orderly manner and seeking to optimise the value of its assets.”
Crime & Safety
George Harrison’s first wife ‘attacks’ Beatles biopic movies
Pattie Boyd has said no one involved with the forthcoming Beatles biopics has approached her, despite casting an actress to play her.
Former Magdalen College School pupil Sir Sam Mendes is to make four separate films about The Beatles, with one from each band member’s perspective.
READ MORE: Four Beatles films to be directed by Sam Mendes
Sir Paul McCartney, Sir Ringo Starr and the families of John Lennon and George Harrison have all granted permission and music rights for the four biopics.
Sir Sam attended Magdalen College School in east Oxford in the late 1970s and early 1980s.
The series about the Fab Four is due for a simultaneous release in April 2028.
It will star Paul Mescal as Paul McCartney, Harris Dickinson as John Lennon, Joseph Quinn as George Harrison, and Barry Keoghan as Ringo Starr, and each film will tell the story of the band from a different member’s point of view.
Other actors who will star in the films include Saoirse Ronan, Anna Sawai, Mia McKenna-Bruce, and Aimee Lou Wood, who are playing Linda McCartney, Yoko Ono, Maureen Starkey, and Pattie Boyd, respectively, with Sir Sam calling all four women “fascinating and unique figures in their own right”.
Pattie Boyd (Image: Eddie Janssens/Wikimedia Commons)
Speaking about the ambitious movie project, Ms Boyd told a podcast that nobody had “reached out” to her.
She added: “I might be completely wrong, but I would have thought it would be polite to mention it to me or let me know that they got someone who’s going to be playing me.
“Don’t you think they’d let me know? Well, I haven’t been contacted by anyone. I could have really told them great stories.
“But I don’t think they want to know. I think they want to create something that’s completely different, like a different story.”
Ms Boyd added that the forthcoming biopics seem to have “nothing to do with the truth (and) nothing to do with what really happened because they don’t want to talk to anyone who was there”.
Instead, she said it was closer to “the filmmaker’s creation of what they think happened”, according to the NME music and pop culture publication.
George Harrison with Pattie Boyd after their wedding (Image: KRLA Beat/Wikimedia Commons)
Mrs Boyd first met Mr Harrison on the set of 1964’s A Hard Day’s Night, eventually marrying the guitarist in 1966 and divorcing him in 1977.
For many years, Mr Harrison lived at Friar Park in Henley, and his family still owns the mansion. He died in 2001.
A recording studio was used at Friar Park by Mr Harrison for his solo albums.
The studio was also used for work on Traveling Wilburys releases – the former Beatle was a member of the supergroup, which also featured Roy Orbison, Tom Petty, Bob Dylan and Jeff Lynne.
And recording and filming for The Beatles’ 1995 Anthology project also took place at the mansion studio.
Crime & Safety
Wallingford gardens to open to public for one day only
Walled Gardens of Wallingford is set to return for 2026 on Sunday, June 14, opening a record number of 20 usually private gardens to delight visitors for the afternoon, including three opening to the public for the first time.
Now in its third year, the annual event has proved hugely popular with locals and tourists alike and saw more than 1,200 visitors at last June’s event.
READ MORE: Traffic chaos in Witney amid report of ‘major incident’
A spokesperson for the organisers of the Walled Gardens event said: “With secret nooks, beautiful blooms and surprising quiet in the centre of the bustling market town of Wallingford, this event is the perfect way to spend a summer afternoon.
Last year’s event saw around 1,200 visitors (Image: Wallingford Photographic Society)
“If you need to rest your feet there will be the opportunity to enjoy a glass of wine and strawberries, or an idyllic trip down the river on a short boat tour.
“Tea and cake will also be available as you peruse some of the local food, drink, arts and plant stalls.”
READ MORE: Oxfordshire village farm shop ‘delighted’ by award win
The afternoon is run by a group of garden owners who raise money through tickets sales for charities in Wallingford and is this year sponsored by Root One and Champions.
Last year, more than £16,000 was raised for good causes in the town, and this year proceeds will be split between 10 charities including The Corn Exchange, St Mary-le-More Church, Style Acre and Wallingford Museum.
Tickets are limited and must be bought in advance from www.walledgardensofwallingford.co.uk or in person from KP Stationers, The Corn Exchange or Root One Garden Centre.
Crime & Safety
New app helps spot Japanese knotweed at your property
Launched by the national trade body, the Property Care Association (PCA), the PCA Plant Risk App helps with the identification of species and provides a hazard rating as well as advice.
The app can help householders understand what is growing on their property, whether it is a cause for concern and what action they should consider.
Invasive non-native plant species can cause a range of issues, from damage to property and impacts on native ecosystems to causing injury.
READ MORE: Oxfordshire granny wins triathlon just six months after surgery
The app helps spot and identify invasive plant species. (Image: The Property Care Association)
Japanese Knotweed and certain types of bamboo spread quickly and can cause hard landscape damage, while buddleia is known to colonise masonry, which can make walls and chimneys unstable.
Contact with giant hogweed may produce a skin reaction that is exacerbated by exposure to sunlight and can result in painful blisters.
Himalayan balsam tends to shade out native plants and creates problems around watercourses.
Daniel Docking is the technical manager at the PCA and played a key role in the development of the PCA Plant Risk App.
READ MORE: Four new Clarkson’s Farm series five episodes released TODAY
Daniel Docking. (Image: The Property Care Association)
He said: “Invasive plants are not just about whether a species appears on a list. The risk often depends on the plant, the site and the context in which it is growing.
“While Japanese knotweed is often seen as the main concern, plants such as bamboo, buddleia, and other problematic vegetation such as bramble can also create nuisance, management issues or biosecurity concerns in certain environments.
“There are also species, such as Virginia creeper, that are listed in Schedule 9 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981.
“This means it is the property-owner’s responsibility to ensure they are not allowed to spread into the wild.”
READ MORE: Mary Berry talks turning 91 after finding ‘joy’ at retirement home
The app helps spot and identify invasive plant species. (Image: The Property Care Association)
Householders with concerns around unidentified vegetation on or near their property can upload a photograph, ideally including leaves, stems, flowers and overall growth habit.
Once on the PCA Plant Risk App, the picture will help confirm species using the Pl@ntNet database.
A short series of scenario-based questions will follow, which will produce a hazard-rating indication along with advice that sets out what action should be taken, what to avoid and whether specialist help is needed.
In instances where a survey or management plan is strongly recommended, householders can enter their postcode to search for PCA members who specialise in invasive weed control.
READ MORE: Two Cotswolds towns named among top 50 spots in UK for 2026
The app helps spot and identify invasive plant species. (Image: The Property Care Association)
Daniel added: “The app is designed to be a useful tool for homeowners, particularly where early identification and practical biosecurity advice could help prevent problems from escalating.
“The earlier problematic plants are recognised, the easier it is to manage spread, reduce disruption and limit potential costs.
“Alongside the app’s learning hub, it also gives users more confidence in identifying issues and applying sensible biosecurity measures.”
-
Crime & Safety3 weeks agoWaitrose supermarkets across UK shut due to ‘critical error’
-
Crime & Safety3 weeks agoMan arrested in connection with rape in Oxfordshire town
-
Crime & Safety4 weeks agoHow to spend a day in Harpsden among UK’s poshest villages
-
Crime & Safety3 weeks agoBanbury woman jailed after lying to police about kidnapped children
-
Oxford Events3 weeks agoStage Watch: Somerset House enters the comedy arena with major new festival Laughterama
-
Crime & Safety3 weeks agoStrictly Come Dancing new hosts reportedly Emma Willis
-
Business & Technology4 weeks agoCBI posts 14% revenue rise as payment services grow
-
Crime & Safety3 weeks agoUK Hantavirus update as 22 ship passengers moved to hospital
