Crime & Safety
Cotswolds pub named among UK’s best and up for national award
The Prince of Burford on The Hill in Burford has been shortlisted for Oxfordshire Pub & Bar of the Year at this year’s National Pub & Bar Awards, taking place in June.
Managed by Butcombe Pubs & Inns, the much‑loved pub will compete against more than 250 standout venues from across the UK.
All of these will be vying for the coveted title of best in the county, and ultimately, the honour of being named the best pub in the UK.
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Returning to London for its 10‑year anniversary on Wednesday, June 10, the National Pub & Bar Awards celebrates excellence across the industry, recognising 94 County Winners as the very best in their respective regions.
Jayson Perfect, COO, Butcombe Group says: “The Prince of Burford is one of those pubs that truly embodies what Butcombe stands for — genuine hospitality, great beer, and a real connection to its local community.
“Being shortlisted for Oxfordshire Pub & Bar of the Year is a fantastic achievement and a testament to the passion, creativity and consistency shown by the entire team.
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“Awards like this matter because they shine a light on pubs that are doing things properly, and The Prince of Burford is absolutely one of them.
“We’re thrilled for the team, grateful to our guests for their continued support, and excited to see what June brings.”
More than 250 Highly Commended pubs and bars are now invited to the Grand Final, where the 2026 County Winners, Regional Winners and the overall National Pub & Bar of the Year will be revealed.
Tristan O’Hana, editor of Pub & Bar magazine, which hosts the event, said: “Our bigger and better format that debuted in 2025 was such a success, we can’t wait to roll it out again this year.
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“The fact that the celebrations last from the long Easter weekend, when we celebrate this year’s County Nominees, right up until the awards night at the beginning of summer, is no less than this wonderful industry deserves.
“We just want to do what we can to spread the word about these brilliant businesses.”
The ceremony will also unveil the Industry’s Choice Award, voted for by a panel of 400 handpicked judges, alongside the consumer‑voted Pub Group of the Year, Bar Group of the Year, and the Tyrrells Tyrrellbly Good Taste Award.
The National Pub & Bar Awards assesses a wide range of criteria that shape the guest experience, including marketing, digital presence, design, service, style of offer and investment.
The Drum and Bass On The Bike event on Sunday, April 12 is expected to attract hundreds of people to pedal to the pounding beats through the city centre.
Organised by Dom Whiting, the DJ is known for hosting Drum And Bass On The Bike raves around the country including in Bristol, Bournemouth, Southampton and more recently Adelaide in Australia.
Cyclists should meet for 2pm at the Clarendon Building in the city centre’s Broad Street this Sunday.
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Anna Railton, city council cabinet member for a zero carbon Oxford, said the historic Oxford streets coupled with drum and bass by bike “is a great contrast”.
Ms Railton, who hopes to be there, said: “I came along the last time he came to town and it was great fun.
“It’s certainly the biggest critical mass bike ride I know about in Oxford but I think it’s more about the music and everyone having a bit of fun – both those cycling along and everyone else who gets to witness it go past.”
The Met Office forecast for this Sunday as of Friday afternoon is cloudy with breaks of sunshine, although there are chances of rain in the afternoon.
Mr Whiting said ahead of his visit: “DJ decks are replaced so I hope you are ready for a 2026 Oxford bike rave re-visit.
“As always, anyone and any mode of transport are welcome and you can of course bring your own speaker by simply hooking up to our online livestream wherever you are in the crowd.
“See you on Sunday.”
Starting his On The Bike raves during the Covid lockdowns, Mr Whiting has gone on to amass more than 800,000 social media followers as a result of his fun events.
The incident occurred on the M40 between junction 8a with Wheatley and 11 with Banbury in Oxfordshire today, Friday, April 10, during an operation by Thames Valley Police.
Officers were deployed to the motorway to crackdown on road safety related offences, including drug or drink driving, no insurance, using a mobile phone and others.
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During the operation, officers said a large goods vehicle “blasted” the horn at officers and was chased down and stopped by the police.
He then failed a roadside drugs wipe and were taken into custody, which “may well lead to them losing their driving licence”, according to the force.
A spokesperson for the police said: “During the shift, a large goods vehicle thought it would be a good idea to blast their horn at one of our officers working on the hard shoulder.
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“Unfortunately for that driver, the officer had just finished with a previous motorist and had time to locate, follow, and stop the horn blasting individual.
“Their day took a swift turn south when they failed a roadside drugs wipe and were taken to custody to provide a blood sample — which may well lead to them losing their driving licence.”
In total, 32 vehicles were dealt with during the operation, including 13 for seat belt offences, five for driving using a mobile phone, and seven for careless driving.
Thames Valley Police officers in Oxfordshire were ‘alerted’ to a van travelling on the A34 displaying false registration plates this afternoon, Friday, April 10.
Police said that following a ‘tactical pursuit and containment’ the vehicle was brought to a stop.
READ MORE: M40 driver may lose licence after ‘blasting’ horn at police
Checks then revealed the van was uninsured and was showing multiple fault warning lights, making it dangerous to drive.
A spokesperson for the force said: “The vehicle has been seized and prohibited from further use until the defects are repaired. The driver will be reported for the relevant offences.”
It comes after a police operation on the M40 in Oxfordshire discovered 32 vehicles committing road safety offences on the same day, ranging from not wearing a seat belt to drug driving.
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