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Cotswolds Distillery crowned best in England with three award wins

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Located just over the Oxfordshire border in Warwickshire, the distillery was founded in 2014 by whisky enthusiast Daniel Szor, who had been working in London’s financial sector.

Housed on a five‑acre rural site near Stourton in the north Cotswolds, it produces award‑winning English single malt whisky and a broad range of gins.

The distillery has grown into a major visitor attraction with tours, tastings and experiences, plus shops in nearby Cotswolds tourist hotspots.

READ MORE: King Charles III bestows Cotswolds soap shop founder with King’s Award

The award-winning whisky. (Image: Cotswolds Distillery)

It has expanded rapidly following multimillion‑pound crowdfunding rounds to boost production and visitor facilities.

Now, Cotswolds Distillery has won a trio of awards, including being named England’s best distillery.

Alongside that new title, its Signature Single Malt Whisky also won two accolades at the English Whisky Awards.

It is now the No 1 English single malt whisky and offers the best English single malt whisky flavour for value.

Founder Dan Szor has said that winning the top spot as the Best English Whisky and the Best Value English Whisky is a huge honour for the Cotswolds Distillery team.

READ MORE: Cotswolds hotel stay worth over £700 ‘ruined by rowdy hen party’

“I’m delighted that our Signature Single Malt Whisky has once again received this recognition,” he reacted.

“From the beginning, our ambition has been to create a world-class English single malt with exceptional flavour and character, while still offering outstanding value for money.

“These awards are a tribute to the passion and craftsmanship of our distillery team, and to our belief that great whisky should be accessible, approachable and enjoyed widely.”

The English Whisky Awards are community-led and independent and are designed to celebrate the rapid growth and high quality of whisky production in England.

Created by whisky enthusiasts for whisky enthusiasts, they aim to shine a spotlight on the innovation, craftsmanship and passion that is driving English whisky to new heights.





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Oxford News

Oxford beer festival cash helps causes at home and abroad

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The Oxford Brewers Alliance, a non-profit group of breweries, raised the funds through its Oxford Beer Bash festival, which was held at the Oxford Distillery over several years.

Helen & Douglas House, a hospice for children with life-limiting and terminal conditions, will use its donation to fund craft materials, play and music therapy, and bereavement support.

Earth Trust, based in Little Wittenham, said the funding will help them create new walking routes, develop the ancient woodland, and enhance working farmland with nature-friendly practices.

The third beneficiary, North Oxfordshire Aid, supports people in Ukraine by delivering humanitarian supplies such as vehicles, clothing, and food.

The alliance’s donation will go towards purchasing and equipping a fire engine for emergency use in Ukraine.

The fourth charity, the Licenced Trade Charity, has supported people in the licensed drinks industry since 1793.

It helps those facing crises related to mental health, housing, and finances with practical advice and support.

Both the alliance and the Beer Bash committee, including members James Clarke of Hook Norton, Christian Aldridge of NFU, Russ Taylor formerly of XT Brewing, and Anneli Baxter of Loose Cannon, thanked all involved in making the donations possible.

The Oxford Brewers Alliance said the donations were made possible by funds raised through the Oxford Beer Bash and sponsorship from NFU Insurance.





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Jeremy Clarkson issues health update amid cancer battle

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The broadcaster, 66, issued the plea after revealing he is in remission from an “aggressive” form of the disease.

The revelation came in recent episodes of Clarkson’s Farm, which follows life on his Diddly Squat Farm near Chipping Norton.

He said: “This is why I have to say to everybody who’s reading this, please, please, please go and get checked.

“It’s not uncomfortable, it’s not undignified, and it’s a no-brainer.

“I did, and that’s why I’m sitting here talking to you.”

His daughter, writer Emily Clarkson, echoed the call on social media, tagging Prostate Cancer UK in her post, encouraging men to get tested.

In an interview with The Sunday Times, Mr Clarkson revealed he has since formed a support group with others who have also experienced the disease.

He said: “I was talking to David (Cameron) about it earlier this morning.

“He said the amount of people that come up to him is mostly in public conveniences and say, if you hadn’t owned up to it, I wouldn’t have got checked, and they wouldn’t have found it.

“So now there’s a group of us, (food writer) Giles Coren, David, me, one or two other people, and we meet for lunch every so often.”

Mr Clarkson said the diagnosis took an emotional toll, despite his typically stoic public persona.

He said: “I’ve seen so many people die of cancer.

“It doesn’t bear thinking about what it must be like to live knowing that an illness is going to kill you.

“It must be very, very, very distressing.”

He said: “I don’t know the history of what happened to (former Olympic cyclist) Chris Hoy, but to be told your cancer is inoperable and to still carry on, you’d have to be incredibly brave.”

During the season finale of Clarkson’s Farm, Mr Clarkson is seen in a hospital bed describing complications during treatment.

He told The Times these were the result of mistakenly resuming blood-thinning medication for existing heart and vascular issues.

He said: “That was horrific and it was all my own fault.

“I’d been on drugs for heart issues and I had to come off them during the cancer treatment.

“Two or three weeks after the cancer operation, I thought I’d better put myself back on those blood thinners.

“Big mistake, huge.

“It (resulted in) a very big emergency in the middle of the night.

“I’m not even going to go into the treatment that was required as a result of that, because it was horrible.”

Mr Clarkson previously underwent a heart procedure during which he was fitted with two stents to improve blood flow.

In a column for The Sun at the time, he said his doctor advised him to give up work and take up golf instead.

He also gave up smoking after contracting pneumonia while on holiday in Spain.

Posting on the X account of his pub, The Farmer’s Dog, Mr Clarkson reiterated the importance of early detection.

He said: “The reason why I’m fine is because the doctors caught the prostate cancer early, and they caught it early because I got tested.

“Now, I know a lot of you will say, ‘I don’t want to be tested because it means someone will have to put their finger in me’, but it’s just a blood test these days.

“Look, 10, 12,000 people, men, to be honest, men, die every year in the UK from prostate cancer.

“Don’t be one of them, get tested.”

Do you prefer Clarkson’s Farm or Top Gear? Let us know in the comments





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South Oxfordshire residents invited to review proposals

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South Oxfordshire District Council has launched a second public consultation on final proposals for parish boundaries, councillor numbers and ward arrangements in several towns and parishes across the district.

Maggie Filipova-Rivers, leader of South Oxfordshire District Council, said: “We had a great response to our initial survey and made several changes following the comments we received.

“We’re now giving residents the opportunity to have their say on the updated proposals before they are finalised ready for the 2027 elections.

“Community governance arrangements play a vital role in ensuring that local councils reflect the communities they serve, so it’s important that people have their say.”

The recommendations include increasing the number of parish councillors in Ewelme and Stoke Row, adjusting warding arrangements in Didcot, Henley and Thame, and revising parish boundaries between Shirburn and Pyrton and between Thame and Great Haseley.

If approved, the changes would come into effect in time for the May 2027 local elections.

Residents can review the full proposals and share their views through an online survey at southoxon.gov.uk/CommunityGovernance.

The consultation is open until 11.59pm on Thursday 30 July 2026.

Those unable to access the survey online can call 01235 422 425 for support.





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