Oxford News
Oxfordshire pub on offer for half original price at £650k
The Fox and Hounds in Station Road, Ardley, near Bicester, closed in January 2020 and has been marketed with a for sale sign since May 2022.
Last summer, the pub was put on the market for £1,250,000 following which it was reduced to £750,000 and now it has gone down to £650,000, almost half its original price.
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There have been several failed attempts to convert it into a furniture store.
In January 2025, applicant White Pennant applied to convert it into three homes which was subsequently approved in April by Cherwell District Council.
The property listing on Rightmove states: “Currently classed as commercial with approved planning conversion and alteration of former public house to provide three dwellings, plus hard and soft landscaping and associated works.
The Fox & Hounds Inn, Ardley (Image: Chancellors/Zoopla)
“The three separate units totalling around 5,000 square foot of accommodation if utilising the existing plans.”
The original planning application received two letters in objection and three in support from locals.
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Ardley and Fewcott Parish Council also objected in the ‘strongest possible terms’ due to the development failing to reflect both the significant location and the community uses required by the village.
Objector Mark Rowan, who lives in East Street, Fritwell, said that “we’re losing too many pubs”.
Meanwhile supporter of the planning application Caroline Ryan, of Somerton Road, Ardley, called it a “terrible eyesore”.
She added: “If the buildings can be kept in some way and made into homes, that would be great.”
Oxford News
Pictures to celebrate World Poetry Day 2026 in Oxfordshire
UNESCO first adopted March 21 as World Poetry Day during its 30th General Conference in Paris, with the aim of supporting linguistic diversity through poetic expression and increasing the opportunity for endangered languages to be heard.
The heritage organisation said: “World Poetry Day is the occasion to honour poets, revive oral traditions of poetry recitals, promote the reading, writing and teaching of poetry, foster the convergence between poetry and other arts such as theatre, dance, music and painting, and raise the visibility of poetry in the media.”
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This time on Looking Back, we’ve found a selection of fantastic poetry celebrations in Oxfordshire from the year 2014, now 12 years ago.
Language lovers converged for the day of celebration on bookshops, schools, at recitals and conferences.
Take a look back through this Oxford Mail archive gallery to find pictures from a decade ago of World Poetry Day celebrations in Oxfordshire.
Oxford News
All the Oxfordshire locations used as TV and film sets
We’ve made a gallery of pictures showing all the Oxfordshire spots which have been used for TV and film sets over the years.
Some of the biggest productions filmed here in Oxfordshire include Spectre in the James Bond franchise, which transformed Blenheim Palace in Woodstock into the Palazzo Cardenza in Rome.
Blenheim Palace featured as a key movie set for the James Bond film, Spectre, when it was dressed up as the Palazzo Cardenza in Rome, 2015 (Image: Andrew Walmsley)
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Many period dramas were also created in the county, like the BBC adaptation of Hilary Mantel’s Wolf Hall, which was partly filmed at Chastleton House in the Cotswolds.
Cotswolds villages have been repeatedly transformed and used as filming locations for their historical appeal, like the villages of Brill, Broadwell and Castle Combe.
Find all the pictures in this archive gallery of historic Oxfordshire filming locations here.
Oxford News
Aureus School girls were inspired by Navy’s women’s day
Three Year 10 pupils from Aureus School in Didcot travelled to London for the Royal Navy International Women’s Day event, held on HMS President during Careers Week and designed to showcase opportunities within the Royal Navy and beyond.
Students Antonia Pop, Ellie Swan and Tilly Mulvey are all taking part in the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award Scheme.
Ellie Swan said: “It was fantastic to see the possible career paths within the Navy.”
Rob Hayden, Duke of Edinburgh’s Award manager at Aureus School, accompanied the students to the event.
He said: “During the day, students had talks from individuals within the Navy and from guest speakers, including Hannah Botterman, who last year won both the Rugby World Cup and the Six Nations with England.”
He said: “Students also had the chance to network with the speakers and other attendees.
“The event showed the students a wide range of inspirational females within the Navy and other careers.”
Aureus School, part of the GLF Schools multi-academy trust, says its vision is focused on ‘cultivating ambition’ and ‘high standards for all’.
Headteacher Kirsty Rogers says the Didcot-based co-educational comprehensive has undergone a ‘transformative journey’, creating a community where students feel a strong sense of belonging. She emphasises inclusivity, high expectations, and a broad curriculum that encourages ambition, resilience and respect, supported by dedicated staff and diverse extra-curricular opportunities.
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