WINDOW boxes and hanging baskets full of colourful flowers are one of the biggest assets of a popular riverside pub in Oxford.

That’s the view of Martin Gormley, the assistant manager of the Head of the River in St Aldate’s.

Last week the pub won the Best Kept Public House or Guest House category in the Oxford in Bloom competition.

Mr Gormley, 39, said: “The riverbrings the drinkers here and the flowers keep them here.”

He praised staff at the pub for creating such a green environment close to the busy Abingdon Road.

He said: “This place is a real sun trap, so we have to make sure all the flower boxes and hanging baskets are watered several times a day during the summer.

“In the summer, there are 30 staff here and we have two lads who go around every morning looking after the garden.

“It’s a very important part of making the pub look attractive and they really earn their money in the hot weather.

“We ask them to tidy up around the borders and make sure there are no bottles, glasses and food wrappers left lying around. People definitely come here because they know they can have a relaxing drink outside the pub, as well as good food – and our efforts with the flowers and hanging baskets are a big part of that.”

Mr Gormley said credit lay with Brian and Carol McNish, who have been licensees at the Fullers pub for the past nine years, and the rest of the staff.

He added: “All the staff here are delighted to get this award because it shows how hard everyone has worked.A couple of years ago we got silver, but now we have done even better.”

There were about 600 entries in this year’s Oxford in Bloom competition and more than 250 gardening enthusiasts attended the awards ceremony at the Roman Way Sports and Social Club last Thursday.

Presenter Wesley Smith hosted the event and the city’s Lord Mayor Mary Clarkson handed out the awards.

Oxford in Bloom chairman Karen Roberts said the year’s event, which is in its 21st year, was so successful that it could pave the way for a return to Oxford entering the Britain in Bloom competition next year.

The city council did not enter Britain in Bloom this year because of budget constraints.

Oxford in Bloom, run by the city council and backed by the Oxford Mail, is open to all residents and businesses within the city boundary.

Original article source

MORE than 300 people queued outside a new discount store in Cowley to pick up the best 99p bargains – including a 17-piece tea set.

The recession-busting 99p Stores chain opened a new branch today at Templars Square shopping centre in the former Woolworths unit, which has been empty since last Christmas.

Shoppers queued up outside the store before decorator Ian West, 53, cut the tape for the opening ceremony at 9am.

The father-of-one from Wood Farm Road was given a £5 voucher to spend and won an Apple iPod in a competition. Mr West said: “I’ve used the voucher to buy some toys for my grandchildren and some sweets for my daughter.

“I won the competition by recognising theme tunes from 1980s TV shows like Crossroads.

“You can get amazing value for money in this shop so I’m going to go round again to see what else I can find.

“I think this shop can only be a good thing for Templars Square shopping centre.”

There were 20 staff working at the Woolworths store, and there will be 30 full and part-time staff working at the 99p Stores shop.

Nadir Lelani, chief executive of the chain, said: “We started up in 2001 and now there are 108 stores across the country with an annual turnover of £250m a year.

“We sell household goods, gardening and beauty products, sweets and stationery. Everyone loves a bargain. That’s why we’re successful.”

Area manager Sushil Purushothaman added: “When there is a downturn, people look for a bargain and getting good value for known brands has always been the boss’s motto.”

The Cowley shop is the 99p Stores’ 42nd outlet to open this year and it is the 37th former Woolworths store to be taken over by the chain.

The Cowley store stocks 4,000 different items costing 99p or less. The chain also opened a shop in Witney in May, employing 30 staff.

Hundreds queued outside German discount store Aldi last month when it opened in Botley Road in Oxford.

Original article source

THE Pope is set to visit Oxford as part of the first Papal visit to Britain in 30 years, it was reported tonight.

Pope Benedict XVI will become only the second Pontiff to visit Britain since the reign of Henry VIII, say Government sources.

Oxford is on a draft shortlist of destinations for next year’s visit, alongside London Birmingham, Edinburgh, Armargh and Dublin.

He was invited by Prime Minister Gordon Brown earlier this year.

Original article source

Oxford City Council plans a major industrial/commercial development in Northern Oxford. The council is calling this project "Northern Gateway". The development proposed is on 50-100 acres of green land near the Wolvercote roundabout. It will comprise 1-2 million square feet of buildings, attracting a possible 12,000 more cars to the area with no plan to upgrade the current road infrastructure. Sandwiched between the A40, A34, and Woodstock Roads, the development would undoubtedly attract more congestion and pollution to the already over-capacitated area.

A meeting is scheduled with the Planning Inspector at the Oxford Town Hall on Thursday 10 September and Friday 11 September. If you want to show your support or opposition, you are invited to attend the meetings, which begin at 10am.

For more information, visit the website for Engage Oxford - Evergreen & Northern Gateway Action Group for Endangered Oxford

They are at it again. As part of the Oxford Playhouse's ever-growing Playhouse Plays Out series, this time they are visiting the University of Oxford’s Botanic Garden with David Leddy’s remarkable Susurrus.

A play without actors, without a stage and with only one person in the audience – you. It’s part radio play, part soundscape and part stroll in the park.

This calm and beautiful experience will enable you to take an hour out of your day. Writer and director David Leddy has said this about bringing the show to Oxford: “It's very exciting to bring this show to Oxford because the gardens are particularly beautiful and the Playhouse Plays Out strand is a really exciting development that encourages audiences to think differently about the work they see and the locations they see it in. I think it is a location that will suit the show particularly well because it echoes the poignant, thoughtful and relaxing atmosphere of the piece.”

Susurrus comes to Oxford following a massively successful run in Edinburgh. Don’t miss your chance to do something a bit different whilst it is here.

Suitable for ages 14+

Thursday 10 to Sunday 27 September

For more information about the Garden visit: http://www.botanic-garden.ox.ac.uk

For more information about David Leddy visit: http://www.davidleddy.com

Tickets: £5 (includes free admission to the Botanic Gardens)

More Details & Bookings

We learned from Twitter this week that a new pizza restaurant, Fire and Stone, is set to open at the former Old Orleans diner, in George Street, by early December. Already serving pizza on George Street are Ask, Bella Italia, and Zizzi. Have I missed any? Probably. George Street is chock full of chain restaurants at the moment, and the question is, do we really need another one? My answer is - if it's pizza, yes! In my opinion too many pizza restaurants is a good thing - especially if the newbie on the block is as stylish as Fire and Stone promises to be.

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