Oxford News
Lazy Saturday is back following fears it could be cancelled
In October, Jericho community organiser John Mair warned that the Lazy Saturday and Lazy Sunday events, which are staged at Mount Place featuring music and food, were in danger of being cancelled.
During the past five years, Mr Mair from Jericho, has organised a series of free Lazy Saturday, Lazy Sunday and Oktoberfest events.
READ MORE: Lazy Saturday could be scrapped
Local bands play and food including hotdogs is provided by local businesses and about 200 people usually turn up.
Mr Mair, aged 75, called for more help in organising the event due to his age, and now it is set to return on Saturday, May 9.
Mr Mair said: “Lazy Saturday is returning to Mount Place, the village square beside the canal.
“It will be there there for families to enjoy from midday.
“There will be music from four local bands, fresh beer from the Little Ox brewery, German sausages from Tom the German sausage man, and stalls selling a variety of Jericho merchandise.
“Come along – it’s free and is open until 6pm.”
Mr Mair added: “I was going to give Lazy Saturdays a 2026 sabbatical but local musicians pleaded with me (to run it) as they really enjoyed playing a community event by the canal – please do come and support them.”
Mr Mair started the events after Oxford City Council revamped Mount Place, and volunteers from the Greening Jericho group “put in some lovely plants”.
“It became a nice communal area for people to use, except they weren’t using it,” he said earlier.
Mr Mair also organises about 30 events a year under the MyJericho umbrella, which also features themed walks in the area, and guest talks at St Barnabas Church.
But he said the Mount Place gatherings “take the most work”.
“I have to submit a health and safety form to the city council, an event plan has to be approved, it costs £120 to put it on, and you have to put a deposit down,” he added.
Young Sherlock, a British mystery television series, will see Hero Fiennes Tiffin return as the titular character.
A Georgian Square in Bristol is being transformed back to the Victorian era ‘Oxford’ ahead of the filming of the second series.
The series, first aired in March this year, is inspired by Andrew Lane’s Young Sherlock Holmes book series.
It was created by Matthew Parkhill and developed by Peter Harness and Guy Ritchie, who also directed two episodes.
Other main cast members returning include Dónal Finn (James Moriarty), Natascha McElhone, Max Irons, and Holly Cattle, who play Sherlock’s family members.
The series synopsis reveals: “As a 19-year-old at Oxford University, Sherlock Holmes is not yet the master detective he grows up to be.
READ MORE: £3million innovative farm which ‘suprised’ Jeremy Clarkson closes
“He is raw and unfiltered, and he lacks discipline.
“A murder at Oxford puts Holmes’s freedom at risk, and he sets out to solve his first murder mystery that leads him to a global-level conspiracy.”
Young Sherlock received praise upon its release, and its 84% rating on Rotten Tomatoes reflects that.
The critics’ consensus on the reviewing platform reads: “Young Sherlock doesn’t aim to recreate Conan Doyle’s work; rather, it takes pride in its liberal adaptation, delivering Guy Ritchie’s signature blend of precise entertainment, sly style, and ingratiating characters.”
One critic said: “Prime Video’s Young Sherlock is sensational.
“The series, which was adapted by Matthew Parkhill, remixes the beloved figure to deliver all the traits fans know and love — with more than one twist.”
Young Sherlock is available to stream now on Amazon Prime.
Traffic was halted on the major trunk motorway at about midday on Friday, August 7, because of a serious collision.
Cars were stopped and diverted before junction 10 with Ardley heading northbound on the motorway, before junction 11 with Banbury, and drivers travelling southbound were also stopped to allow an air ambulance to land.
READ MORE: M40 closed with two hour delays due to ‘serious’ crash
Cars experienced delays in excess of two hours on the northbound approach, with six miles of congestion reported, as well as significant delays on the A34 towards the Wendlebury Interchange and junction with the M40.
Thames Valley Police has been approached for more information on what happened but has not provided a response.
The motorway had reopened by about 3pm but residual delays remained for much of the afternoon.
Thames Valley Police’s rural crime taskforce, which frequently patrols the countryside across the north of Oxfordshire, have now revealed its officers were the first on the scene.
A spokesperson said they provided ‘an immediate response and support to those invovled’ and it is understood other emergency responders subsequently attended the scene.
READ MORE: Mum jailed after teen girl beat up man, 50, hours before his death
The officers also dealt with a stolen car in Kidlington and seized a van with no insurance whose driver had no licence.
In Chieveley, the taskforce arrested a driver on suspicion of possession of class A and class B drugs and driving whilst unfit through drugs, without a licence and without insurance.
It was described as a ‘proactive day highlighting the wide range of incidents Rural Crime Taskforce officers respond to across the force area’ by the team.
Environmental charity Earth Trust shared a video of the remnants of a barbecue still smouldering and surrounded by litter and burnt wood at historic chalk beech mounds the Wittenham Clumps in South Oxfordshire.
The fire, discovered on Friday, August 8, came just a day after the charity warned people about the dangers of barbecues at the green space during the extreme drought the county is facing, as ‘a single spark could develop into a wildfire’.
READ MORE: Mum jailed after teen girl beat up man, 50, hours before his death
A spokesperson for Earth Trust said: “The reality is that one small fire could easily burn through the whole of the Clumps and Bessie’s Field grasslands.
“It could spread into the hedgerows, damage the woodlands, and cause real, lasting harm to the archaeology of Castle Hill.
“A disposable BBQ might look harmless. A few glowing embers might seem like nothing. But in dry grassland, that is all it takes.
READ MORE: Police taskforce ‘first on scene’ of crash which closed M40
“Please do not bring BBQs or light fires at the Clumps or any of our nature reserves. Take your litter home. Leave no trace.
“If you see vegetation on fire, no matter how small, call 999 immediately and ask for the fire service. Do not put yourself at risk.”
People are asked to bring picnics instead, take all litter home, leave no trace on the landscape and report any signs of fire immediately to protect the iconic landscape.
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