Crime & Safety
Ex-National Trust site Coughton Court unveil cafe changes
A new chapter has begun at Coughton Court following the takeover of the Throckmorton family, with the unveiling of the Stableyard café and a play area.
The historic house, which was previously run by the National Trust until late last year, is now under the ownership of the Throckmorton family who have been making several changes to the site.
Among the changes are the official opening of Stableyard café and a new play area designed for children.
The Stableyard will be open to the public and available for community use.
Coughton Court is now open
Coughton Court officially opened to the public this month and has received “lots of positive feedback” since welcoming visitors back on the grounds.
Magnus Birch Throckmorton said: “It’s been fantastic welcoming so many people through the gates and chatting with visitors.
“Our reopening weekend was a great success, and we’ve received lots of positive feedback about the changes we’ve made.
“Guests have particularly enjoyed the refreshed Stableyard café and the brand new play area, which shows that Coughton Court is becoming the welcoming community hub we hoped it would be.
“We’re looking forward to welcoming even more visitors in the weeks and months ahead and sharing all the wonderful experiences our house and gardens have to offer.”
Who are the Throckmorton family and what is their link to Coughton Court?
It was revealed that Coughton Court in Alcester, Warwickshire, would be run by the Throckmorton family, who have called the historic house their home for over 600 years, last year.
The family are related to the key conspirators in the Gunpowder Plot, an effort to end the persecution of Catholics.
The ringleader of the Gunpowder Plot was Robert Catesby, a charismatic and forceful character, and the son of Sir William Catesby and his wife Anne, daughter of Sir Thomas Throckmorton of Coughton Court.
How can I get free entry to Coughton Court in 2026?
The family’s takeover of day-to-day management has changed how people can enter the site, with standard National Trust membership no longer valid.
Instead, Coughton Court will provide free entry to anyone with a Historic Houses membership.
Historic Houses members will be able to enjoy free entry to Coughton Court, plus hundreds of other houses and gardens across the UK, with a small contribution coming back to support the estate’s ongoing care.
Cherwell District Council is working alongside Banbury Town Council and the Quays Consortium to prepare a formal expression of interest for the new national competition, which aims to celebrate the cultural and heritage contributions of towns across the country.
David Hingley, leader of Cherwell District Council, said: “I’m proud to confirm that alongside our partners we will be submitting an expression of interest for Banbury to be recognised as the UK Town of Culture 2028.
“This competition is our opportunity to show the rich, diverse and historic heritage that makes Banbury so special and unique, and to leave a lasting legacy for the future.
“From our outdoor market, thriving community initiatives, popular festivals, grassroots arts and wellbeing projects, to youth sporting programmes, culture is already at the heart of Banbury, and this bid will help us shine a spotlight on the town, its people and its stories.”
The UK Town of Culture 2028 winner will receive £3 million to deliver a six-month programme of cultural events and activities.
Banbury’s expression of interest will showcase its distinct identity and outline how the programme could broaden resident engagement, increase access to arts and heritage, and involve communities in shaping the design and legacy of the programme.
The council is engaging with partners such as Banbury Museum, The Mill Arts Centre, cultural organisations, businesses, and community groups to strengthen the bid and realise the town’s cultural ambitions.
Helen & Douglas House, which cares for terminally ill children and their families, launched its revamped clothing store on March 12.
The updated shop was opened by BBC Radio Oxford presenter Adam Ball and joins the charity’s refurbished homeware shop, which reopened last September and occupies the other half of the unit.
Baljit Dhindsa, head of retail at Helen & Douglas House, said: “We are delighted to unveil the refurbished space, which has been thoughtfully redesigned to create a brighter, more modern shopping environment while continuing our commitment to sustainability.
“The new layout allows us to showcase an even wider selection of clothing and accessories, with improved displays and more space on the shop floor.
“We have also enhanced accessibility within the shop, including adding an additional accessible fitting room to ensure a comfortable experience for all our customers.”
The reimagined boutique-style shop features a contemporary, urban-inspired design with vintage touches and improved backroom facilities, allowing for increased donations and more efficient sorting.
Proceeds from the store directly support Helen & Douglas House’s hospice care in Oxford and in people’s homes.
Ms Dhindsa said: “When you buy something from our shop for £5, this could pay for arts and crafts materials for local terminally ill children to make Mother’s Day cards whilst staying at the hospice in Oxford.
“Our spring collection is now in store so do pop in to checkout our great range of clothing and accessories and take a look at the wonderful transformation of our shop.”
Cotswold Wildlife Park was established by John Heyworth on the Bradwell Grove Estate and opened on Good Friday, March 27, 1970.
It began with 341 animals and has since grown to house more than 1,500 animals across 250 species.
A spokesperson for Cotswold Wildlife Park said: “We hope you’ll join us in celebrating 56 wonderful years of Cotswold Wildlife Park & Gardens and we’d like to thank our visitors for their loyal support over the years.
“We must thank them for all their support for more than half a century.”
From its early days on a shoestring budget, the park has expanded to include giraffes, which arrived in 2010 for its 40th anniversary, and rhinos such as D’ora, named during its golden jubilee year in 2020.
George the Aldabra giant tortoise is the park’s oldest and only original resident.
To mark the 50th anniversary, keepers made him a special cake during the lockdown.
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