The UK supermarket chain is working to clean up land at its Bicester store in Villiers Road, after residents raised concerns about overgrown vegetation and litter.

The issues were highlighted by local resident Jamie Jessett, who said parts of the property appeared neglected and in need of maintenance.

Concerns focused on the permeable paving area at the front of the store, where weeds have reportedly spread across much of the surface.

Morrisons Daily to clear overgrown vegetation and litter at a ‘below acceptable standards’ Oxfordshire site (Image: Jamie Jessett)

He also raised issues about the rear yard and garage area, including overgrown brambles and weeds, as well as accumulations of litter and debris.

He said: “There is a duty to keep land clear of litter and reasonably tidy and the current condition falls well below acceptable standards, affecting public safety.”

Further concerns were expressed about discarded needles, suspected drug use and anti-social behaviour in the rear area, which borders a public play area used by children and families.

“I am very concerned”, he added, “Families and their young children are leaving or entering the play area behind the shop, which is about 20 footsteps into the tree area where I found a needle in 2023. The safety of the public needs to be taken more seriously.”

The freehold of the Morrisons Daily premises is held by Alliance Property Holdings Limited, a subsidiary of Morrisons.

Responding to concerns about the site, a Morrisons spokesperson said action was already underway.

They said: “We are already working with our maintenance team to clean up the land owned by Morrisons.

“Please note that the area behind the shops is private property and strictly off-limits to the public.”

SOFIAH NICHOLE SALIVIO

News Editor

Wull Technologies has secured £75,000 in project funding after co-founder Ruth-Marie Mackrodt won a Women in Innovation Award. She was one of 61 female founders selected by Innovate UK from more than 1,500 applications.

The funding will support the Manchester-based business as it moves its sheep wool insulation panels into the next stage of commercial development, including manufacturing scale-up, independent testing and product demonstration.

Wull Technologies is a joint venture between Vector Labs and Wool Insulation Wales. It is developing rigid insulation panels made from British sheep wool under the patent-pending LAMDA brand.

The panels are designed for internal and external solid-wall applications. They are aimed at buildings where insulation upgrades must improve thermal performance without trapping moisture, including heritage and traditional properties, as well as private retrofit and social housing projects.

Millions of solid-wall homes across the UK remain uninsulated, creating a large potential market for products tailored to older building types. During the 12-month project, Wull Technologies plans to demonstrate the panels in live building projects to support the evidence and certification needed for wider use in the construction sector.

The award also includes a 12-month package of business support, training and networking opportunities. Innovate UK’s Women in Innovation programme is marking its 10th anniversary and attracted a record 1,590 applications.

Since its launch in 2016, the programme has backed 260 female founders with more than £15 million in investment. According to Innovate UK, previous winners have gone on to secure a further £358 million in funding.

For Wull Technologies, the latest funding adds to earlier public and institutional backing. Last year, the University of Manchester Innovation Factory and Greater Manchester Combined Authority’s GM Advance Fund invested a combined £300,000 in the company, contributing £150,000 each.

Before that, the business received an Innovate UK grant of £214,000 for its initial research project. That support helped the company develop the basis of its current insulation panel work.

Mackrodt co-founded Wool Insulation Wales in 2022 and leads the Wull Technologies team alongside Technical Director Liam Britnell. The award gives the company additional support as it seeks to move from development to broader market adoption.

Commenting on the award, Mackrodt highlighted both the company’s progress and the wider case for wool-based building materials.

“I am extremely proud to have received this award, but I see it primarily as recognition of the work being undertaken by the whole Wull Technologies team and of the wider potential of British wool as an advanced material.

“Britain has a vast number of older solid-wall buildings that urgently need to become warmer and more energy efficient. That work must be carried out in a way that respects how those buildings manage moisture, rather than creating new problems that may only become visible years later.

“This award will help us move LAMDA through the next critical stage – strengthening our manufacturing process, building the independent evidence required by the construction industry and demonstrating the material in real buildings.

“It also gives us an opportunity to show that an overlooked British agricultural resource can become part of a modern, technically credible and circular manufacturing industry,” said Ruth-Marie Mackrodt, Commercial Director, Wull Technologies.

National programme

Innovate UK’s Executive Chair highlighted the scale of this year’s cohort. The programme is intended to support women building early-stage businesses across a range of sectors.

“This year’s Women in Innovation cohort represents some of the UK’s most exciting entrepreneurial talent. These founders are developing the ideas, technologies and businesses that will drive economic growth, attract investment and tackle some of the world’s biggest challenges.

“Many of today’s most successful companies started with bold ideas and the right support at the right time. Through Women in Innovation, we are backing founders with the ambition, talent and determination to develop the UK’s most promising companies. Many congratulations to every member of this exceptional cohort,” said Tom Adeyoola, Executive Chair, Innovate UK.

Bicester Leisure Centre has confirmed it will reopen fully on Monday, August 10, following several weeks of partial and complete closures.

However, the centre will remain fully closed tomorrow (Friday, August 7) with scheduled swimming lessons moved to Kidlington Leisure Centre.

While the changing rooms have been closed and the toilets moved to the car park, the gym, sports hall and outdoor pitches have remained in use during most of the works.

The main pool is due to welcome users again from Tuesday, August 11, marking a significant step towards normal service.

However, the Play ’n’ Teach pool will remain closed for a further three weeks while structural repairs to the roof are carried out.

Play ’n’ Teach sessions will be transferred to the main pool to minimise disruption with the majority of lesson times and days remaining unchanged, while a small number of Friday classes will operate on adjusted schedules.

The leisure centre said minor temporary changes would also be made to the main pool timetable over the coming weeks to ensure both lessons and public sessions can operate safely within the reduced space.

Operators added that they were working to provide additional public and lane swimming opportunities wherever possible during the period.

Councillors Sam Holland and Nick Mawer continue to press for fee fairness (Image: Sam Holland)

The reopening update follows growing concern among residents over the impact of the closure and ongoing restrictions.

Earlier this summer, councillors Sam Holland and Nick Mawer called for what they described as a fairer approach for members who have paid for facilities that have been unavailable during the works.

The pair say they are continuing to press Cherwell District Council over the support on offer to users.

In a joint update, they acknowledged that concessions remain available on request but argued residents should not be expected to chase compensation or fee reductions themselves when the disruption is long-running.

They said: “The current approach places too much of the burden on residents.”

The councillors have formally requested a meeting with relevant representatives at Cherwell District Council to discuss support for affected members and seek clearer communication on what assistance is available.

They added: “Residents deserve transparency, consistency and fairness while these works continue. We will continue to raise concerns on your behalf and will provide a further update once we have received a response regarding the meeting request.”