Business & Technology
Oxford business owners concerned about cybercrime and fraud
A total of 47 per cent of business owners revealed they are most concerned about online fraud and cybercrime.
Meanwhile, 39 per cent of respondents also claimed they were concerned about damage to property.
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Pablo Lounge in Abingdon closed last year after being deemed commercially nonviable (Image: Andy Ffrench)
35.3 per cent of business owners also revealed they were worried about anti-social behaviour impacting their businesses.
Tool theft was also a concern, with 31.7 per cent of businesses answering it as a concern.
Meanwhile, only 17 per cent of owners answered shoplifting as a concern, 19 per cent answered in person fraud, and 19 per cent of fraud.
Respondents also answered what is holding their business back, with 48 per cent of businesses stating that finding staff with the right skills is a concern.
34 per cent of businesses also stated energy costs as a limit on their business.
Meanwhile, only 10 per cent of respondents claimed a fear of crime was holding their business back.
Matthew Barber (Image: Contributed)
Planning applications, local regulations, availability of property, parking, public transport, and lack of demand were also identified as a limit to local businesses.
The survey conducted by police and crime commissioner for Thames Valley, Matthew Barber, has revealed the crimes business owners are most concerned about.
The survey also asked businesses what type of business they are, how many employees they have, what taxes affect their business the most, and what is holding their business back.
Businesses identified corporation tax, national insurance, and VAT as the taxes affecting them most.
Retail businesses, hospitality services, professional services, IT businesses, agriculture businesses, and arts and entertainment services were all part of the survey.
Business & Technology
Oxfordshire toy shop used by Simon Cowell up for £1.2m sale
The two retail units in Bicester’s Sheep Street have been listed together, along with storage accommodation and three self contained flats.
Bicester Toys and Thorntons chocolate shop represent “long-standing” retail occupiers according to estate agency Carter Jonas with a combined rental income of £91,260 per annum across the properties.
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Indeed, the toy shop is a popular destination in the town with a 4.1 star rating based on over 60 Google Reviews.
Mr Cowell visited the shop in February this year, reportedly to buy Lego for his son.
Andy Rumney met Simon Cowell in a Bicester Toy shop this weekend (Image: Andy Rumney)
The TV star is known for his appearances as a talent show judge, starring on the X Factor, Britain’s Got Talent and American Idol over the years.
He now lives in Oxfordshire with his fiancée, Lauren Silverman, as well as his child, Eric.
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A fellow shopper at Bicester Toys described him as “very friendly”.
Andy Rumney said: “He was also very happy to chat to us about our four year old Shih-Poo called Tilly as he’s a huge dog lover, and they had their dog with them which was a lovely German Shepherd.
“He was also very happy happy to chat to the staff in the shop as apparently he’s in there a lot buying Lego for his son.”
Business & Technology
Atos finalises Premier League fixtures for 2026-27
Atos has compiled the 2026-27 Premier League fixture list, continuing a role it has held since the league’s launch in 1992.
The latest schedule extends a long-running arrangement under which Atos has supported the planning of 13,166 Premier League matches involving 51 clubs across 34 seasons.
Producing the fixture list begins at the start of the year and typically takes about six months. Computer systems generate an initial schedule, which specialists then revise against league rules and operational constraints.
Those rules limit long runs of home or away matches and aim to balance home and away games across any five-match sequence. Clubs are also not supposed to start or finish a season with two home games or two away games.
Beyond those rules, the schedule must account for local rivalries, policing capacity and transport pressures. Planning also seeks to reduce travel demands for supporters during periods such as Boxing Day and New Year’s Day.
Even small changes can affect a wider set of matches, requiring further adjustments elsewhere in the calendar. This year’s list also placed greater emphasis on player welfare and the need for recovery time between matches in an increasingly crowded football schedule.
Glenn Thompson, Fixture-List Compiler at Atos UK&I, has compiled the Premier League fixtures for more than 30 years. He said the work can narrow to a final manual review after the technology has processed large numbers of possible outcomes.
“There are pinch points in the process where it can become stressful, culminating in several days in a room manually checking for any issues that may have cropped up. The whole process is complex, involving many different data points. Ultimately, you can’t satisfy everyone, and it is a compromise across all clubs without favouring any one club,” Thompson said.
Sports work
Atos has maintained a Sports and Major Events division for more than 30 years. It also works with football bodies outside the Premier League, including UEFA’s national team competitions and CONMEBOL’s domestic club competitions in South America.
The group operates in 54 countries and employs about 56,000 people. It reported annual revenue of about EUR €7.2 billion at its go-forward perimeter.
Michael Herron, Head of Atos UK&I, linked the annual fixture release to the start of the new football season for supporters.
“For millions of fans, the release of the Premier League fixture list is when a new season really comes to life. We’re proud to support the Premier League and are looking forward to another exciting season ahead,” Herron said.
Business & Technology
Popular hi-fi and vinyl company closes Oxford branch
Established in 1972, Sevenoaks Sound and Vision is one of the largest independent Hi-Fi and Home Cinema retailers in the UK.
The company set up shop in Oxford on Banbury Road, but closed down recently.
Their website describes themselves as “a unique, first-class experience.”
Sevenoaks Sound and Vision invited music fans to experience its new state-of-the-art listening in 2024 (Image: Sevenoaks Sound and Vision)
“All of this is supported by a custom installation service which specialises in the creation and installation of bespoke home entertainment systems to suit all budgets.”
The company still has stores in Bristol, Bromley, Cambridge, Chelsea, Cheltenham, Epsom, Guildford, London, Leeds, Manchester, Norwich, Nottingham, Reading, Tunbridge Wells, Witham, and Yeovil.
They also have their flagship store in Seven Oaks, near Kent, and are opening a new store in Sutton Coldfield, near Birmingham.
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