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DJ Pete Tong to play tunes at UK palace summer festival

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Ahead of his performance at the new Blenheim Palace Festival on Saturday, June 27, Mr Tong has visited the Woodstock stately home and shared his excitement about performing.

In a new video following a trip to the palace, the DJ explained how 80s legend Mr Richie initially suggested he perform his iconic Ibiza Classics show at the palace, and described performing at the festival as a “dream come true”.

The dance music icon will perform alongside The Essential Orchestra with special guests Sarah Story and Danny Rampling.

Pete Tong at Blenheim Palace (Image: Nocturne Live)

Mr Tong was inspired in 2023 when Mr Richie performed in front of 10,000 fans at the palace’s Great Court.

The festival runs from Saturday, June 27, when Mr Tong will be playing his Ibiza Classics, until Saturday, July 4.

Also performing on different nights are Alanis Morrissette, Teddy Swims, Katy Perry and Michael Buble.

It’s the first Blenheim Palace Festival, after the long-running Nocturne music festival at the venue came to a close.

Last week it was announced that Appleton and The Mariachis will join multi-GRAMMY Award-winning superstar Mr Buble as support acts on July 4.

Also joining the line-up is emerging singer-songwriter Ruti, who will open for Teddy Swims on June 30.

As a Radio 1 DJ, Mr Tong has been behind the decks of the best clubs and festivals worldwide.

As a producer he has selected the music for movie soundtracks such as The Beach, Human Traffic, and 24 Hour Party People and has produced his own material.





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Red Arrows to fly over iconic UK RAF base tomorrow

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With displays held across the UK throughout the year, the iconic Red Arrows display team have cemented themselves into the country’s consciousness.

Thousands put their eyes to the sky to witness the red, white and blue smoke overhead when the red Hawk T1s fly over.

The Red Arrows will be flying over parts of Oxfordshire on Friday afternoon, May 29 including over RAF Brize Norton – the RAF’s largest and busiest UK air station.

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The team will be flying from RAF Waddington in Lincolnshire at 1.48pm and landing at Exeter at 2.30pm.

They will fly over Banbury just after 2pm before going over Enstone, Charlbury, Brize Norton, Faringdon and continuing south west.

Full flight schedule:

Raf Waddington – 13:48BST

Southeast Of Methringham – 13:50BST

North Of Heckington – 13:52BST

Southwest Of Gosberton Clough – 13:53BST

Moulten – 13:54BST

South Of Sutton St James – 13:56BST

South Of Wootton – 14:04BST

Northwest Of Bloxham – 14:07BST

Southwest Of Charlbury – 14:09BST

Brize Norton – 14:10BST

Southwest Of Clanfield – 14:11BST

Northwest Of Upper Lambouorn – 14:12BST

Lyneham – 14:15BST

Chittoe – 14:16BST

Vicinity Of Bradford Upon Avon – 14:17BST

West Of Nunney – 14:19BST

South Of Sturminster Newton – 14:22BST

South Of Axminster – 14:27BST

Southwest Of Bradninch – 14:29BST

Exeter – 14:30BST





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Oxford River Thames death – boy named locally amid tributes

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The teenage boy, named locally as Baltazar L’Quy, got into difficulty close to Donnington bridge on Wednesday evening, May 27 before he was tragically pronounced dead.

His family has been made aware and are being looked after, police say.

Baltazar, of Timorese descent in south east Asia, was named by the Oxford Timorese Community Association.

Fire crew near Iffley Lock (Image: Kevin Brackett)

Karlota, who did not leave give her surname, was on-scene when Baltazar got into difficulty and said “he was not alone” in his final moments.

She said: “I wanted to send my deepest and most heartfelt condolences to the family during this unimaginably difficult time.

“I was there that evening, and I want you to know from the bottom of my heart that he was not alone.

“Several of us who were present did absolutely everything humanly possible to find him and help him; we didn’t leave his side for a single moment.

“We are holding you in our thoughts and sending you all the love and support in the world. May your sweet angel rest in peace.”

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Oxford East MP Anneliese Dodds described the death as “shocking and very upsetting” and added: “I know everyone in Oxford will be heartbroken to hear.

“My thoughts and sympathy are with this poor boy’s family and everyone who was at the scene of this dreadful incident.

“This tragedy appears to have happened near the terrible incidents with Aown Dogar and Hussain Mohammed, may they rest in peace.

“It’s awful to see again a young life being lost in this way.”

Aown, 13, was playing piggy in the middle and tag in waist-deep water at Donnington Bridge in 2015 when he drowned.

And in 2012, Mohammed Hussain died aged 15 after jumping from the bridge into the river also at the same spot.

A member of the Oxford Timorese Community Association group told the BBC: “This has been a very painful moment, not only for the family, but also for the Timorese community, in Oxford and across the United Kingdom.

“This tragedy is very sad and is shocking to most parents – not only within the East Timor community.”

The member added: “The mum was actually saying that this is happening to them, and it’s shocking and it’s very sudden.

“But she would like to remind all the other parents, to remind the children when they’re out there – don’t just go into any water and to always make sure that they go with an adult.”





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Oxford ‘quick fix’ HMOs criticised amid possible new influx

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David Henwood, leader of the Independent Oxford Alliance Group, has said that houses of multiple occupation (HMOs) are “not a long-term solution” to the city’s housing crisis.

He added that they can place pressure on public infrastructure when grouped in areas in terms of parking, waste collection, local services and community cohesion.

READ MORE: Fears as unbuilt pub site in 1,500-home development for sale

However, leader of Oxford City Council Susan Brown said the local authority has a policy of restricting the overall number of HMOs in a given area and said they provide “relatively cheap accommodation” in a city where housing is expensive.

Their comments come after at least 14 applications were submitted to the city council in May for properties to become HMOs, large HMOs, or for retrospective approval to confirm use as a HMO.

David Henwood, Oxfordshire county and Oxford city councillorDavid Henwood, Oxfordshire county and Oxford city councillor (Image: Ed Nix)

This includes 47 Hawthorn Avenue (26/01209/FUL), Fern Hill (26/01202/FUL), 1 Benson Road (26/01184/FUL), 11 Broadhead Place (26/01174/FUL), 32 Oxford Road (26/01076/CEU), 60 Wolsey Road (26/01069/FUL) and 12 Norham Road (26/01066/VAR).

In addition there are applications in for 43 Sandy Lane (26/01053/FUL), 57 Magdalen Road (26/01028/FUL), 31 Old Marston Road (26/01027/FUL), 245 London Road (26/00919/FUL), 15 Salford Road (26/00923/FUL), 11 Chatham Road (26/00889/CEU) and 5 Ridgefield Road (26/00849/CEU).

Mr Henwood admitted that HMOs have a “clear role to play in Oxford’s housing market” and said he understood why more applications are moving forward.

Hawthorn Avenue, Oxford, where a HMO application has been submitted (Image: Google Maps)

“However, HMOs are not a long-term solution to Oxford’s housing crisis in themselves,” he said.

Nor are they relatively cheap, Mr Henwood added, stating that the average rent is roughly between £750 and £950 per room, per month, in Oxford, higher than the national average of £500 to £650.

He said there needs to be more of a focus on “quality over quantity”.

Mr Henwood explained: “Too often, councils rely on HMOs as a quick fix while avoiding the bigger issue of delivering genuinely affordable homes and the infrastructure needed to support growing communities.”

Sandy Lane, Oxford, where a HMO application has been submitted (Image: Googe Maps)

Ms Brown said this is a priority for the current administration.

She said: “As a Labour city council our focus is on building more affordable housing such as council housing and shared ownership but also exploring lower cost rental.

“We are the only council in the country to regulate all private rented housing in the city as well as HMOs to drive up standards in the private rented sector.”

City council leader Susan Brown City council leader Susan Brown (Image: Oxford City Council)

According to Mr Henwood there are around 4,400 HMOs in Oxford compared to more than 30,000 private rented properties but that the number of the former may grow if licensing fees (charges levied by local councils on private landlords to legally rent out properties) aren’t soon amended.

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He said: “A HMO containing four individual flats could see licensing costs work out at around £190 per unit, while a privately rented one-bedroom flat can face selective licensing costs of more than £850.

“That imbalance is one reason we are seeing more HMOs coming forward, while smaller private rentals become increasingly expensive to operate.”

“This model now needs serious review,” he added, before suggesting that private landlord licensing fees are brought closer to HMO costs on a per-bedroom basis.





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