Crime & Safety
New brewery and taproom set to open in Oxford next week
The BMAN Brewery taproom at Salters Boatyard by Donnington Bridge will open next Saturday, April 11, with food, fun and delicious BMAN beer.
Alex Berryman, the owner, head brewer and one-man operator of the enterprise has been working hard to get everything ready for the new opening, including transporting his equipment from the industrial unit at Monument Business Park where he first set up five years ago.
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“There are so many details and I have agonised over them all,” Mr Berryman said. “Moving 850kg brewing equipment is no small feat.
“It all needed to get craned out of the old site overhead and onto a large flat bed truck, and I remember driving behind the truck of towering equipment strapped down – there’s nothing like watching your whole livelihood coasting around the Oxford ring road.”
The new site is bigger than the original, with a 1,000sqft brewery roughly doubling BMAN’s beer-making potential, plus the outfit’s first ever taproom with a capacity for 100 heads.
Turning the shell unit at Salters Boatyard into the inviting new venue Mr Berryman is aiming for has been a huge undertaking.
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He said: “I’ve had a hand in everything, like roller painting the 1,000sq ft, 3.5m high ceiling for days straight until my neck feels like I can only look up from now on.
“To get the best beer and draft service possible, I’ve taken the big step of drilling holes in the cold store to have the taps directly through the wall.
“This means I could construct the 12 tap line draft system to ensure the drinks are served at a chilly two degrees, with the shortest draft lines possible, to guarantee the cleanliness and coldness of all the drinks on tap.”
A full drinks menu will have something on offer for every taste, with nine BMAN Beers on tap including lagers, IPAs and Saisons – all crafted by the brewer – plus an alcohol-free guest beer, draft cider and Frizzante prosecco on tap.
The venue is fully kitted out to be as accessible as possible, too, with a ramp into the taproom and onsite baby changing and accessible facilities.
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Mr Berryman said he was “recently stopped in the street and told how excited people in the area are” as locals take note of the changes.
The grand opening will be hosted at the new taproom in Salters Boatyard next to Donnington Bridge from midday until 9pm on Saturday, April 11.
As well as the drinks, Mexican street food vendor La Cookaracha will be serving visitors, with spacious seating in the taproom and on the riverbank grass available up to the 100-person capacity.
Police, fire services and ambulance crews attended the scene on Stonesfield Straight in the Stonesfield, a village near Witney, today (Friday, April 10).
An eyewitness to the scene said multiple vehicles were involved in the crash, which occurred just after midday.
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The road was fully closed to allow emergency services to deal with the incident and remained shut for several hours.
One source described it as a “big accident” with police and fire in attendance at the junction with Aketon Road which heads towards Combe.
A spokesperson for Oxfordshire Fire and Rescue said: “We received reports of a road traffic collision near Stonesfield road.
“Appliances from Witney and Kidlington attended the scene along with the rescue tender, also from Kidlington fire station.
“The incident involved a car and a van which required the road to be closed whilst emergency services carried out the rescue.
“Crews worked with ambulance staff to release one person using hydraulic cutting equipment.
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“The road is now open with all crews released from the scene.”
Images from the scene showed multiple emergency responders on the scene, with at least two fire engines and a police car visible, the road closed to traffic and bystanders looking on.
Thames Valley Police also confirmed the road was closed to deal with a “minor injury road traffic collision” and it has since reopened.
The Oxford Folk Festival, which runs until Sunday, April 12, has a full line-up of music, dance, and community events at various venues and public spaces.
The historic Covered Market will be the central hub, with performances running throughout the weekend.
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A free concert featuring the Abingdon-based Ock Street Band will take place at 7.30pm on Saturday, this marks a continuation of the festival’s traditions.
Another band called Aisling from Leiden, Oxford’s twin city, will be performing at the festival.
The group will entertain at a song and dance evening with the Oxford Folk Dancers at St Matthew’s Church on Friday night, where attendees will also be treated to a ploughman’s supper.
The six-piece band is also set to perform at various spots including North Parade market, the Covered Market, and Leiden Square at the Westgate centre.
With more than 70 performances planned, the festival is set to take over numerous outdoor locations such as Broad Street, Bonn Square, St Giles, Radcliffe Square, and Oxford Castle.
Indoor concerts are to be held at venues including Blackwell’s Norrington Room, the Old Fire Station, the Weston Library, and Modern Art Oxford.
The events are divided into six categories: headline concerts, ceilidhs and social dance, workshops, Morris dancing displays, free gigs by local artists, and pub-based folk sessions.
Dance events on Friday and Saturday evenings will offer “Morris For All” badges at the Catholic Chaplaincy, and during the day at St Columba’s Church on Saturday and Sunday.
The festival is also doing its bit to be inclusive, planning family-friendly activities, including special educational needs (SEN) events on Saturday morning at St Columba’s Church, followed by a workshop at the Museum of Oxford.
Having secured access to the Westgate centre, the organisers have planned a series of performances in Leiden Square, on the roof terrace, and in a specific busking area.
The weekend’s activities in Leiden Square are opened with a fanfare from Horns of Plenty, with a celebration of performers and dance at noon on Saturday.
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.
Abingdon clubs and societies day taking place on Saturday
Emergency response in Oxfordshire village as road closed
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