Crime & Safety
Oxford Folk Festival dancers and musicians in city centre
The festival is supported by many Oxford institutions and businesses, which provide locations for free performances.
The programme started on Friday and finished on Sunday, with organisers delighted by such a successful weekend – including some good weather.
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Organiser Ginnie Redston said: “Attendance was very good, and that was a relief because we put on more concerts, ceilidhs, and workshops, including special educational needs events.
“This year Modern Art Oxford gave us full use of their cafe for the afternoons, so we programmed a succession of sets from a variety of fine local musicians.
“Another new location for our musicians and Morris dancers – was the Westgate centre, where we experimented with three ‘stages’ for our performers, one in Leiden Square, one on the roof terrace and one ‘Buskstop’ on the first floor.
“The manager at the Westgate was enormously helpful and encouraging, and made all our performers feel very welcome.
“On Saturday we opened the Leiden stage with a fanfare and short set form Oxford’s Horns of Plenty, a brass ensemble that started some years for the East Oxford Carnival.
“We then continued with sets of Morris dancing alternated with folk musicians who held the stage throughout the afternoon, until Celtic Heartbeat closed the afternoon’s activities with their lively traditional songs and tunes.”
Other venues and locations including Broad Street, the Covered Market and the Bodleian’s Weston Library.
The Old Fire Station cafe in George Street was another important location where on Friday, Saturday and Sunday evening folk musicians singer-songwriters, Americana or 70s revival acts entertained audiences between 4pm, and 7pm.
Common Ground in Little Clarendon Street offered also hosted events on Friday and Sunday.
Ms Redston added: “Dance was everywhere, in the streets, and at indoor ceilidhs.
“They were also literally dancing ‘up on the roof’ on the roof terrace at the Westgate centre.
“Morris sides flocked to Oxford from all over the county and way beyond, bringing with them colour, high energy, traditional music, the percussive sound of sticks and staves and of course, the jingle of bells.”
In 2024, the news broke that the annual folk festival would be wound up, defeated by a lack of funds.
But a group of volunteers, including Ms Redston, took charge and the festival went ahead and has gone from strength to strength.
After the volunteers stepped in to manage the event, they were inundated with messages of support from folk musicians, activists and enthusiasts.
Dom Whiting, from High Wycombe, led the large group people to pedal to the pounding beats through the city centre and East Oxford.
Starting at 2pm on Sunday, April 12, DJ On The Bike met the group outside the Clarendon Building in Broad Street.
Mr Whiting, who brought some new DJ decks, led the hundreds of cyclists on the five-mile course to end in Florence Park rather than South Park as planned.
Rain failed to dampen the spirits of all involved as, despite the early downpours, the ride ended in sunshine.
Mr Whiting told the BBC ahead of the ride: “It’s a cycling city, so I think it’s more appealing not just to people who listen to music, it’s also appealing to people who are just going out on bikes.
“They might not necessarily be avid music fans or they listen to classical music, but because they like cycling, they will listen to drum bass for that day.”
Attendee Paul Wightman said: “Great vibe, great tunes, and a great day all round. People came from all over the UK and further afield, so it’s great for the local economy too.”
Hayley Blanshard-Whitton went with her eight-year-old daughter and they both had an “amazing time”.
She said: “It’s the first time she’d cycled in the city and being with such a big group of like-minded people really put both of our minds at ease.
“The music was brilliant, and to end in the sunshine at the park was just perfect.
“Cycling back to our van on Cowley road it also made me appreciate how the LTNs are doing their job.
“Being from out of town they haven’t particularly impacted us, but being able to cycle the calm quiet streets was actually a joy rather than a stress.”
Mr Whiting, a former mechanic, started Drum and Bass on the Bike during lockdown in March 2021 as a way of encouraging people to get back outside, listen to music again and enjoy themselves.
What began as a small idea has grown into an international series of rides, with events now taking place across the UK and abroad.
The DJ has hosted raves in Bristol, Bournemouth, Southampton and more recently Adelaide in Australia.
The 28-year-old has gone on to amass more than 800,000 social media followers as a result of his fun events.
Mr Whiting concluded: “We waited in the rain, we rode in the rain and we finished in the sun. Thank you Oxford!”
The former Spice Girl lives with her husband, the ex Red Bull Racing team principal, close to Banbury on the Oxfordshire border.
Mr Horner had been team principal at Red Bull since 2005, overseeing eight drivers’ world championships and six constructors’ titles.
But this all came to an end last year when his team let him go mid-season over performance relating to the team.
Prior to that, Mr Horner had also been locked at the centre of allegations of inappropriate behaviour, which he was later cleared of.
However, according to a new report in the Daily Mail, Geri has made an emotional plea with her husband and given him an “brutal” ultimatum.
A source told the Daily Mail: “Geri is from a humble working-class background, but she loves playing the lady of the manor and somebody who’s big on the F1 circuit who gets to rub shoulders with the rich and famous.
“It’s part of her new identity and proof for her that she’s risen up the social ranks and has got somewhere in life.”
READ MORE: Controversial Oxford asylum seeker hotel could close soon
Mr Horner has been linked to various F1 teams to take the top spot, including Aston Martin, Ferrari, Aline based in Enstone and even new team Audi.
But so far no deal has been struck, and the Daily Mail is reporting that Geri wants to get back to her old life of being the ‘First Lady of F1’.
The group of kids have been causing criminal damage, have been interfering with vehicles and committing “general disorder” around Banbury, police said.
But over the past few weeks, Thames Valley Police’s Banbury neighbourhood policing team has been working “closely” with residents, businesses and partner agencies.
This has been to gather evidence and to build a clear picture of what’s been happening around the town with the kids.
In an update on Monday afternoon, police said: “We’re pleased to say that an arrest has been made today as part of this ongoing work.
READ MORE: Controversial Oxford asylum seeker hotel could close soon
“Our team has been busy carrying out enquiries, collecting evidence and completing interviews to ensure those responsible are held to account.
“Anti-social behaviour is a neighbourhood priority for us — and we won’t tolerate individuals causing harm in our community.
“Further updates will follow once the investigation progresses.”
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