Welcome to Living In Oxford
This edition brings you some wonderful reviews of great Oxford establishments such as the five star Macdonald Randolph Hotel, the hyperlocal AA rosette-winning Fallowfields Country House Hotel and Restaurant, and flavoursome favourites like Qumins, Café Loco and The Big Bang. We've been kicking off the year in good health and so have our reviewers! Read about their visits to The Randolph's Spa, The Oxford Hotel's Spa, and Cowley Road's YogaVenue inside this issue. Leading the March issue is Oxford's very own Town Hall. Read our review on page 06 and be sure to check out their upcoming events on page 19. The Town Hall is more than meets the eye - It plays host to a stunning variety of artists and performers, pop-up markets, and is the ideal venue for weddings, conferences… pretty much any event you could think of! Best wishes to those of you caught in these dreadful floods. Spring is just around the corner.
Richard Rosser Editor, Living In Oxford Magazine
Contents
Oxfordshire Events
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Oxfordshire Accommodation
38
Oxfordshire Attractions
20
Oxford City Centre Map
44
Oxfordshire Kids
Oxfordshire Theatre
Oxfordshire Cinema Oxfordshire Music
Oxfordshire Art & Antiques Oxfordshire Education
18 26 28 30 34 36
The Living In Oxford Team
Richard Rosser
Maddy Barber
Sue Rosser
Rob Scotcher
Editor
Credit Control
Talk to us!
Vouch
Designer
Oxfordshire Shopping County Map
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Oxfordshire Restaurants
Oxfordshire Health & Beauty Oxfordshire Sports
Oxfordshire Services
Keith Simpson
Daria Montella
Senior Designer
Social Media
Tina Rosser
Colin Rosser
Events Director
Chairman
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48 68 69 76
Edward Rosser Admin Support
Lorna Dodson
Operations Director
Fb: facebook.com/inoxford Tw: twitter.com/inoxford Email: info@inoxford.com Advertising: If you’d like to advertise with Living In Oxford Magazine or any of its sister publications please call Richard on 01865 742211 or email enquiries@designs-on.co.uk Subscriptions: If you have difficulty obtaining your copy of Living In Oxford we can mail you a copy each month at £25.00 per annum. Please call us on 01865 742211 or Email us: admin@inoxford.com Stocking In Oxford Magazine, Distribution Services: To find out about receiving copies of Living In Oxford Magazine or becoming an outlet, please call Richard on 01865 742211 or Email: admin@inoxford.com Contact: In Oxford Magazine, The Firs, Headington Hill, Oxford OX3 0BT Tel: 01865 742211 Fax: 01865 741391 Email: admin@inoxford.com Whilst every attempt has been made to ensure that the content of this publication is accurate and correct in every way, the publishers cannot be held responsible or liable for any inaccuracies or errors within the publication. Information reproduced from this publication is permitted with the express permission of the publisher and the advertiser, where relevant. All information is correct at time of going to press.
Reviews in this issue of Living In Oxford...
Lead Article: Oxford Town hall
06
The jewel in the Town Hall’s crown is the magnificent Main Hall, with its glittering chandeliers and a grand Henry Willis organ (whose twin resides in Blenheim Palace).
The Big Bang
60
The bright red sportscar parked inside was the first of many idiosyncrasies which make up The Big Bang, nestled in the atmospheric Oxford Castle Quarter, a stone's throw from Oxford Castle itself.
Yoga Venue
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Even though this was my first ever experience of a Hot Yoga class, I did not feel pressure to try to get into postures that were beyond my ability.
• Fallowfields Hotel & Restaurant
62
• Qumins
64
• Cafe Loco
66
• The Oxford Hotel Health & Leisure Club
72
• Randolph Spa
74
• Great Experience Travel
80
• Oxford Inovation
82
Interested in reading more of our reviews? Just visit inoxford.com Your Guide To The City
Upcoming Events
Monday 3th and Tuesday 4th March 2014. Doors 7pm. The Night Ball by balletLorent Saturday 15th March 2014, 7:30pm Tchaikovsky & Shostakovich
Saturday 22th March 2014. 7:30pm. Mendelssohn Elijah
2014 Approved
Facilities available for
✓ Civil and partnership ceremonies
✓ Wedding receptions and social events ✓ Meetings and conferences
✓ Corporate dinners and Christmas parties ✓ Exhibitions and fairs
✓ Orchestral and popular concerts 6
Visit the no.1 site for What’s On in Oxford
Lead Article:
Oxford Town Hall The Place To Be
Oxford Town Hall combines Grade II* listed Victorian grandeur with modern touches to provide an ideal venue for all occasions, from meetings to concerts to weddings. Conveniently located in the centre of the city, this is one of the largest and most versatile venues in Oxford. With its numerous rooms and meeting spaces it offers an impressive variety of public events and business solutions, as well as bespoke packages and services to make sure each event is tailored to your requirements. Whatever the occasion, and whether it is for four people or 400 people, the Town Hall can accommodate it. This all-purpose venue was opened by Edward VII, Prince of Wales, in 1897, and its facilities have been in use every day for nearly 120 years. The Assembly Room, with its ornate stone fireplace decorated with William Morris tiles and oak-panelled walls adorned with regal portraits, is a popular venue for weddings (there’s even a secret door for the bride to make her entrance). The Court Room, which was used by the Crown Court until 1985 and featured in Inspector Morse, comes complete with judge’s chair, public balcony and stairs leading up from what used to be the prisoners’ cells. The Council Chamber, which looks like a mini Parliament, is where all the big decisions about the city are still made. The jewel in the Town Hall’s crown is the magnificent Main Hall, with its glittering chandeliers and a grand Henry Willis organ (whose twin resides in Blenheim Palace). It played host to the Rolling Stones in the 60s and music still plays a big part in its repertoire, as well as weddings and special occasions throughout the year, such as the annual themed Christmas parties and the recent Chinese New Year celebrations. As well as the range of public events (see page 19 for upcoming events), there is much to offer visitors to the venue, whether locals or tourists. The museum is packed with fascinating facts about the city’s history, such as the local people who have shaped its story, from business entrepreneurs to literary figures. The knowledgeable museum volunteers can tell you more about the history of Oxford as well as the history of the venue itself. There is also a gift shop featuring Oxford souvenirs and unique handcrafted products, a cafe, and a gallery featuring the work of local artists. Whether your visit is for business or pleasure, the Town Hall is the place to be. St Aldate's, Oxford, OX1 1BX Tel: 01865 252195 Web: www.oxfordtownhall.co.uk www.inoxford.com
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2014 Approved
Your guide to your City Our New Approved Reviews For the past 12 years In Oxford Magazine has been bringing your great listings and reviews, but from January 2014 the new Living In Oxford brings you even more. Each month our team of official reviewers will be reviewing some of the best restaurants, hotels, shops, events, attractions and local services and these will all be included in our Living In Top 250 (all consumer facing businesses).
Look Out for our Seal of Approval
Each of the establishments reviewed will receive an attractive framed certificate of their review to display in their premises and a sticker for the front door (where possible!). We will constantly be promoting this group through the magazine, website and social media.
Our Top 250 We’re still working towards our Top250 as you can see on the next page. If you would like to be included or would like to suggest that your favourite Oxfordshire business is included, why not get in touch or pass them our number! Follow us on Twitter #livinoxtop250
CALL 01865 742211 TODAY
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MEET SOME OF THE LIVING IN REVIEWERS John Hobart
Commercial and Operations Director at Modern Art Oxford As an amateur but enthusiastic art-admirer, it seems fitting that John works for the City's contemporary art gallery. In a similar vein, loving all things about food from growing to cooking and eating, he naturally enjoys exploring restaurants everywhere he goes, and has a particular passion for simple food done well!
Top 250: Yeti
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Lucy Howard Freelance Journalist
Lucy Howard is a freelance journalist, working in Oxfordshire and London, writing about a range of subjects from art to food. She also loves travelling and spends a lot of her time on planes.
Top 250: Blenheim Palace ..........................................................................................................................................................
Jade Konz & Steven Sanderson
Chef and Restaurant Manager at The Chequers, Burcot
Steve has been a full time chef since the age of 15 and has trained in hotels around the world and top establishments up and down the country. Jade is the Restaurant Manager, Steven's partner and fellow food fanatic.
Top 250: Can we say The Chequers!?
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Tina Rosser
Event Management and Design, B4 Business
Tina has been working for B4 Magazine for 9 years now and focuses on sales ledger and credit control. Originally from Plaistow, East London, Tina has spent her working life predominantly in the City working for Barclays Metals. Married with two children Tina is also a keen interior designer and event planner.
Top 250: Willow and Pea Visit the no.1 site for What’s On in Oxford
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Approved D VE RO
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APPROVED REVIEWS FOR THE TOP 250 SO FAR...
BY LIVINGOX FO R
Accommodation
....................................................................... • The River Hotel • The Feathers • The Vanbrugh • The Oxford Hotel • Hawkwell House • Hope House • The Old Bank
Art
....................................................................... • Antiques on High • Sarah Wiseman Gallery • Modern Art Oxford
Attractions
....................................................................... • Oxford Castle • Science Oxford • Blenheim Palace • Oxford Town Hall • West Oxfordshire District Council • Didcot Railway Centre • City Sightseeing • Oxford Castle Unlocked • Cotswold Wildlife Park & Garden • Crocodiles of the World • Wychwood Brewery
Cafe
....................................................................... • Café Loco • Cafe Coco • Gatineau • Café Aloha
Charity
....................................................................... • Leukaemia & Lymphoma Research
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Venues & Events
....................................................................... • Oxfordshire Restaurant Awards • Business in Oxford 2014, City & County • The Bear & Ragged Staff
Golf
....................................................................... • Frilford Heath Golf Club • Studley Wood Golf Club • Magnolia Park
Health & Beauty
....................................................................... • Bare UK • HIM • TAO • Spa at The Randolph Hotel • Monica Franke Osteopath • Yoga Venue • Funacion RealMadrid • Spirit Health Club • TLA Fitness • Zumba Fitness • Spa at The Oxford Hotel
Kids
....................................................................... • The Bushcraft Company • Stagecoach Oxford
Leisure
....................................................................... • Thames Valley Orienteering Club • Willow and Pea • Wing Chun Dynamics • The Cherwell Boat House
#livinoxtop250
READ THE REVIEWS @ INOXFORD.COM
GET APPROVED TODAY 01865 742211
Music
....................................................................... • Orchestra of St John's • City of Oxford Orchestra • Jacqueline Du Pre Music Building • Music at Oxford • Oxford Philomusica
Nightlife
....................................................................... • Angels • The Duke of Cambridge • The House
Restaurants
....................................................................... • Kazbar • The Chequers • Yeti • La Cucina • Iffley Blue • Malmaison • Browns • The Jericho Tavern • Aziz • Malikas • The Big Bang • Qumins • Saffron • Fallowfields • Randolph Restaurant • The Oxford Hotel • Jee Saheb • The Feathers • Turl Street Kitchen • 4500 Miles From Delhi • Gee's Restaurant & Bar • Gurkha Village • Le Manoir aux Quat’ Saisons • Old Parsonage • Oxford Blue • Pierre Victoire • Quod • Rosemary Restaurant
• Spice Lounge • The Beetle & Wedge Boathouse • The Broad Face • The Cherwell Boat House • The Red Lion • The Rose • The Snooty Mehmaan • The Tree Iffley • The Trout • The Bear & Ragged Staff
Services
....................................................................... • Savvy • Breckon & Breckon • Excel Dry Cleaners • Aston & James • Strutt & Parker • City Audio Visual • Robert Stanley • Oxford Innovation (Oxford) • Great Experience Travel • Oxford Innovation (Bracknell) • Isis Creative Framing Ltd • London Oxford Airport • The Lady Nuffield Home
Shopping
....................................................................... • Blackwell's • Oxford University Shop • Bang & Olufsen • Bicester Village • Casa Rose Boudoir • Sanders of Oxford
Theatre
....................................................................... • The North Wall • Oxford Shakespeare • Creation Theatre
#livinoxtop250
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Oxfordshire Events Blenheim Palace
Woodstock Oxfordshire OX20 1PP. T: 0800 849 6500. Web: www.blenheimpalace.com
Jazz Sundays at Blenheim Palace Brighten up your weekends in the darker months and enjoy the relaxing atmosphere and smooth melodious live jazz music in the Oxfordshire Pantry. A selection of delicious food options will be available including, breakfast paninis, warming porridge, pastries and fresh tea and coffee as well as the Sunday newspapers for your convenience. For dates and information please visit our website www.blenheimpalace.com
‘Great Estate at War – Land, Sea and Air’
Saturday 15th February – Monday 21st April: To commemorate the centenary year Blenheim Palace will open with a fascinating and interactive WWI exhibition ‘A Great Estate at War – Land, Sea and Air’ exploring the stories behind the Spencer Churchill family members and workers on the Blenheim Estate. The exhibition will be held in the recently renovated Gallery Room in the Stables Courtyard. For more information about this exhibition visit our website www.blenheimpalace.com
Easter Entertainment at Blenheim Palace
Friday 18th – Monday 21st April (Easter Weekend): There is plenty of family fun to be had over the Easter weekend with an exciting eggstravaganza of activities taking place. Including The Great Blenheim Palace Easter Egg Challenge from 18th – 19th April and appearances from Children’s Characters Peppa Pig & Family and Fireman Sam from 20th - 21st April. For more information about this event visit our website www.blenheimpalace.com
Science Oxford
Oxford Centre for Innovation, New Road, Oxford, OX1 1BY. T: 01865 810000. Web: www.scienceoxford.com
Sleepless in Summertown
Wednesday 12th March: We all need a good forty winks, but what is sleep? And why do we need it? Why is a good night’s sleep just a dream for some? Meet Professor Russell Foster, one of the country’s leading authorities on sleep, who will provide insight and practical tips on effective snoozing. Suitable for 13+ Cost: £8 per person / £5 concessions Venue: Martin Wood Lecture Theatre, Parks Road, Oxford TIme: 7:30pm
Evolution in the Garden of Eden
Saturday 15th March: Why do we have such big brains? Prof Mark Maslin from University College London will discuss what caused early humans to suddenly get bigger brains about 2 million years ago – something which led them to spread out of Africa. With a tale of massive lakes that grew and shrank in the East African Rift Valley, he will ask whether we are the product of rapid climate change in the past? Suitable for 13+ Cost: £8 per person / £5 concessions Venue: Martin Wood Lecture Theatre, Parks Road, Oxford Time: 4:00pm
Oxfordshire Restaurant Awards 2014 www.oxfordshirerestaurantawards.com
November 2014: After the success of the Awards in 2011 to 2013, we are looking forward to a new home for the 2014 Awards. At the time of going to press, this venue is to be confirmed. The Awards have certainly captured the imagination of the local restaurant community and this year’s Awards promise to be bigger, brighter and even more prestigious than before. So why not enter, grab a ticket and join in the fun
Want more detailed information about events in Oxford? Just visit inoxford.com Your Guide To The City 12
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Oxford Inspires
15-16 Broad Street Oxford OX1 3AS. Tel: 01865 252885. Web: www.oxfordinspires.org Oxford Inspires is working with Visit Oxfordshire to promote the many wonderful cultural events, shows, exhibitions and festivals that take place across the city and county. In March, three major festivals will take centre stage offering the opportunity to explore Dance, Science and Literature. Information on arts and events: www.visitoxfordandoxfordshire.org/whats-on
Dancin' Oxford Festival
Friday 28th February - Monday 10th March: For 2014 the festival offers lots to participate in; taster sessions, Baby Boogies, the showcase event Moving with the Times, our annual conference Dance & Academia, plus a Night Ball held over two nights in the Town Hall, a new interactive digital dance experience, a chance to dance in the dark on your own, dance performances and a Festival Night Club event. For further details see www.dancinoxford.co.uk/
The Oxfordshire Science Festival
Friday 7th - Sunday 23rd March: The festival offers events for young children right through to adults providing hands on, interactive science events with broad and lasting impact which will encourage increased public engagement across Oxfordshire and neighbouring counties. There are events for professional scientists and people with an interest in science, however most events are aimed at regular people who just want to have fun and perhaps explore a topic that is important to them such as climate change, inheritance, music and sport. For further details see www.oxfordshiresciencefestival.co.uk
Exhibition of Lilla Fludra at The Gallery, Bampton
Saturday 1st - Sunday 30th March: Lilla Fludra’s work aims to reflect the transient emotions and moods of everyday life. Many of her paintings have the natural world as the main subject: trees, water, or landscape but they are painted in a stylized and often abstract manner in order to evoke associations in the viewer and provoke an emotional reaction. Her work is rich in colour and texture; each painting like a still frame of the chosen moment. For further details see www.westoxarts.com
Exhibition of Swan Upping at The River & Rowing Museum
Saturday 1st - Monday 31st March: As part of the Museum’s jubilee project this exhibition brings together unique objects and artworks to illuminate and celebrates the historic tradition of Swan Upping – the annual census of swans that takes place on the Thames every July. For further details see www.rrm.co.uk
Waddesdon and the Rothschilds at War
Wednesday 26th March - Sunday 26th October: Drawn from the Archive and Rothschild memorabilia collections, and including loans from other collections, it will look at the Manor and Estate during the War from the perspective of the family and staff. As Europe was fractured by the conflict, the exhibition will also explore the impact of the war on the wider Rothschild family, particularly those in Austria, Germany and France. For further details see www.waddesdon.org.uk/collection/exhibitions/waddesdon-at-war
www.inoxford.com
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Oxfordshire Events The Oxfordshire Museum
Park Street, Woodstock, OX20 1SN. T: 01993 811456. Web: www.oxfordshire.gov.uk/oxfordshiremuseum
Unearthed Exhibition Explore grave goods and archaeological treasures showing the development of art and culture in Oxfordshire through the first millennium AD.
‘The Anglo-Saxon burial at West Hanney and the origins of Wessex’
Saturday 8th March: With Professor Helena Hamerow The discovery at West Hanney in 2009, of an opulent, garnet-inlaid brooch has shed new light on the way in which power and identity were expressed in the Upper Thames Valley in the 7th-century AD, a crucial period in the formation of the West Saxon state. In this talk Professor Hamerow will set the brooch and the burial in which it was found into this wider context.
‘The St Johns College Mass Burial: Massacre or Misfortune?’
Saturday 29th March: With Professor Mark Pollard In 2008, Thames Valley Archaeology Service found the remains of around 37 young men in the top of a previously unknown Neolithic henge monument in the grounds of St John's College, Oxford. Savagely slaughtered and dumped in a ditch around the end of the 10th-century AD, were theses the physical remains of the historicallydocumented St Brice’s Day Massacre, in 1002? Professor Pollard’s lecture will reveal how isotopic analysis has resolved the mystery.
Business in Oxford, 2014, City & County Event held at The Said Business School, Oxford
Wednesday 23rd April: If you’re interested in business in your county, sign up for this event. Packed full of interesting talks from some of the county’s leading businesses, this will be a fascinating afternoon of talks designed to inspire, inform and engage. For up to date information about the event and ticket details (on sale mid February), sign up for the B4 e-Newsletter at www.b4-business.com.
EAT - DRINK - ENJOY WWW.OXFORDCASTLEQUARTER.COM - OXFORD CASTLE QUARTER, OXFORD, OX1 1AY
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@RSOpticians
Expert Eyecare, Latest Eyewear
50
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designer frames with Nikon Lenses
01235 520849
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Pop in to one of our stores to see our collection Headington / Abingdon / Thame / Wallingford / Wantage health centre
Steven Sanderson & Jade Konz The Chequers at Burcot
Sam Pace Oxford Castle Quarter
Julie Mutton Bare UK
Rachel Boyes Excel Dry Cleaners
Su Bluett TAO Salon
Alison Clegg H.I.M
Peter Gunn City Audio Visual
Robyn Cuthell The Jericho Tavern
Simon Stonehouse Browns
David Robinson The Vanbrugh House Hotel
John Hobart Modern Art Oxford
Wayne Bullock Wing Chun Dynamics
Paul Watson Malmaison
Amy Walters The North Wall
Steve Dunne Group Savvy
These establishments are just a handful of those with our Living In Oxford Seal of Approval. Everyone received their own framed certificate and window sticker to proudly display.
Want to join them?
Give us a call on 01865 742 211
2014 Approved
Waterperry Gardens
Nr Wheatley, Oxford, OX33 1JZ. Open: 10am – 5pm. Tel: 01844 339254. Web: www.waterperrygardens.co.uk
Pancake Day
Tuesday 4th March: Make the most of the last day before Lent by enjoying a gorgeous pancake lunch in the Teashop at Waterperry Gardens, Miss H’s. Choose from savoury or sweet – or both if you like – then why not walk it off with a brisk stroll around the gardens? Time: 10am – 5pm
Saxifrage Day
Sunday 23rd March: This is the perfect time to see our National Collection of Kabschia Saxifrages. These wonderfully versatile little alpine plants are looking their best in March and you can also find out more about propagation and cultivation techniques from our expert – and see a display of unusual plants from leading UK Saxifrage growers too. Time: 11am – 4pm
Mothering Sunday
Sunday 30th March: With free entry to the ornamental gardens for Mums and a special Mothering Sunday menu in the Teashop, Miss H’s, there’s nowhere better to take Mum on her special day. Time: 10am – 5pm
Oxford Castle Unlocked
44-46 Oxford Castle, Oxford, OX1 1AY. Tel: 01865 260666 Web: www.oxfordcastleunlocked.co.uk
Mother's Day lunch and Tower Tour
30th March: Treat Mum to a special tower tour and Sunday lunch this Mother’s Day. Explore Oxford’s oldest building by scaling St. George’s Tower at Oxford Castle Unlocked and marvel at the panoramic views from the top stretching out across the city and its famous dreaming spires. Then enjoy a delicious two course Sunday Lunch as a family at The Living Room in the Oxford Castle Quarter, all for just £19.95 each. Plus to make mum feel extra special, she will enjoy a free glass of prosecco and a free pudding!
www.inoxford.com
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Oxfordshire Kids Cornerstone Arts Centre
25 Station Road, Didcot, Oxon, OX11 7NE. Booking: 01235 515144. Web: www.cornerstone-arts.org
Wash
Sunday 30th March: In the show Monkey needs a wash. Anna doesn’t want to let him go but somehow he gets pulled in to the laundry – there’s only one thing for Anna to do – she must go and find him! Times: 11.30am, 2pm and 3.30pm Tickets: £8, £6 (concs) Ages: 6 months – 36 months and adults. Limited places in each show as it is on a flat floor
Jacqueline du Pré Music Building St Hilda's College, Cowley Place, Oxford, OX4 1DY. Tel: 01865 286660. Web: www.st-hildas.ox.ac.uk/jdp
Jdp Cushion Concerts: Meet the Orchestra
Sunday 2nd March: Our regular Cushion Concerts on Sundays introduce children and their families to how different instruments make music. These informal concerts last 45 minutes and are led by Rozzy, with Mr Cello. Bring your own cushions! This special Cushion Concert will be with the A440 orchestra! Tickets: £5, babies under 1 year, FREE
Millets Farm Centre
Kingston Road, Frilford, Nr Abingdon, Oxfordshire OX13 5HB. Tel: 01865 392200. Web: www.milletsfarmcentre.com Free entry and car parking.
Faringdon Rotary Club Duck Race
Sunday 27th April: A fun event for all the family! Organised by Faringdon Rotary Club. £1 per Duck. Race Starts at 2pm. Location: River Oak in our Phoebe Woods (at the bottom of the Farm Zoo) Ducks will be available to sponsor on the day, or at Millets on 5th, 6th, 12th, 13th, 19th and 26th April. Prizes: 1st Duck: £300, 2nd Duck: £200, 2rd Duck: £100 and 4th Duck: £50 Proceeds to: Air Ambulance and Rotary Charities
Pegasus Theatre
Magdalen Road, Oxford OX4 1RE. Tel: 01865 812150. Booking: 01865 812150. Web: www.pegasustheatre.org.uk
Pegasus Funday Sunday: Baby Boogie
Sunday 2nd March: Disco fun with crafts and activities for parents and toddlers presented by Pegasus with Dancin’ Oxford. A great fun event for children 5 years old & under with their families. Come along and boogie with your baby! Get creative with your toddler, learn some dance moves at the start of the session and then enjoy the disco lights, great tunes at this hip-happy-happening. Free crafts and activities such as face painting and discocape making will be running through the afternoon.
Stagecoach Theatre Arts Oxford
Tel: Maya Sprigg 01869 278600. Web: www.stagecoach.co.uk/oxford Email: oxford@stagecoach.co.uk We provide quality part-time training in the performing arts for children aged 4-18yrs. Our aim is to nurture and develop young potential through singing, acting and dance classes in Oxford, stretching young imaginations and building confidence. We provide the right combination of learning and performing, with opportunities for all ages. Open every weekend during term time and workshops during the school holidays, come join the fun!
Create Holiday Club at Oxford Montessori Schools
Tel: 01865 358210. Web: www.oxfordmontessori.co.uk/create Email: create@oxfordmontessori.co.uk For children aged 3 to 16. Create Club is different from traditional activity holiday camps. Active, great fun and full of adventure and the emphasis is on creative activities - arts, crafts, drama, dance, singing, music, sports and bushcraft and getting kids into the countryside. It’s educative too with special ‘history alive’ days during most holidays. Also Create staff are trained and qualified teachers. It’s a good mix and gives things a professionalism appreciated by many parents. Joining us for Create is also a great way to learn more about our Montessori schools, the nursery, primary and even senior school environments on offer.
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Oxfordshire Attractions City Sightseeing Bus Tours
Oxford Railway Station, Park End Street, OX1 1HS. Tel: 01865 790522. Web: www.citysightseeingoxford.com
Our award winning one hour tour takes you on a fascinating journey around both the famous University colleges and the historic buildings of the city itself. Hop on and off at any of our nineteen bus stops around the town. All buses have live guides or recorded commentary in up to thirteen languages. Tours operate all day every day except Christmas/Boxing and New years day. Tickets valid on Red and Green Buses.
Oxford Castle Quarter
43 Oxford Castle, Oxford, Oxfordshire, OX1 1AY. Tel: 01865 20165. Web: www.oxfordcastle.com Oxford's oldest new quarter, once home to the infamous Oxford Prison and now home to an exciting hub of restaurants and the gorgeous Malmaison Boutique Hotel. The Castle also has an exciting visitor attraction 'Oxford Castle Unlocked,' where the secrets of the castle have been unlocked. For art lovers there is the O3 Gallery, with exhibitions all year round.
Carfax Tower
Junction of St Aldates and High Street, Oxford OX1 4AZ. Tel: 01865 792653. Open: 10.00 to 3pm. Admission: £2.20, Children £1.10.
In 1818 St Martin’s church was rebuilt complete with tower. However, the church, apart from its tower, was demolished in 1896. The tower is all that remains today. Two ‘quarter boys’ who hit the bells at every quarter hour adorn the east facade of the church clock. Climb up 99 steps to get a sweeping view of Oxford’s spires. Open 10am-3pm, Admission £2.30, Children £1.20.
St Michael at the North Gate Cornmarket Street, Oxford, OX1 3EY. Tel: 01865 240940. Web: www.smng.org.uk
St Michael at the North Gate is the oldest Church Tower in Oxford and is definitely worth a visit! There’s also a treasury of silver and bronze dating back to the 1600s and you can also see a copy of the church accounts dating back hundreds of years. Open: 10.30am-5pm (10.30am-4pm in Winter). Admission: Adults and Concessions £2.50, Students £2.00, Children £1.30, Family ticket £7.00
Tourist Information Centre
15-16 Broad Street, Oxford, OX1 3AS.Tel: 01865 252200. Email: tic@oxford.gov.uk Web: www.visitoxfordandoxfordshire.com The Tourist information Centre staff provide an extensive range of services to help make your stay enjoyable and memorable. We offer a wide range of guides, maps, souvenirs and local produce. We also can guide you to the best Oxfordshire has to offer. We are also the home of Official Guided Walking Tours, the best way to explore Oxford on foot. See in store or get in contact with us by Tel: 01865 252037 Email: wtours@oxford.gov.uk
Modern Art Oxford
30 Pembroke Street, Oxford OX1 1BP. Tel: 01865 722733. Web: www.modernartoxford.org.uk Founded in 1965, Modern Art Oxford is the South East's leading Gallery for the presentation of modern and contemporary visual art. Our programme includes exhibitions by artists from all over the world. Funded primarily by Arts Council England, all of our exhibitions are free for visitors. You can also relax in our café, purchase unique gifts in the shop, and participate in our vibrant events programme which includes talks, discussions, contemporary music and film nights.
Cherwell Boathouse - Punting
Bardwell Road, Oxford, OX2 6ST (1 mile from the town centre). Tel: 01865 515978. Web: www.cherwellboathouse.co.uk Enjoy the quintessential Oxford experience punting on the River Cherwell. With over 70 hand built punts, boats and canoes. Enjoy a relaxed afternoon in a beautiful tranquil environment on the river.
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University Church of St. Mary the Virgin High Street, Oxford OX1 4BJ. Tel: 01865 279111. Web: www.university-church.ox.ac.uk
St Mary's is situated at the historic heart of the City and University of Oxford. Thought to be the oldest university building in the world, the Tower was built in 1280, and the University’s reference library was added in 1320. It is worth the climb of 124 steps to make it to the top to enjoy fine uninterrupted views across Oxford and the surrounding countryside. Open: 9am to 5pm (July and August 9am-6pm). Tower Admission: Adult £3, Children (under 16) £2.50.
Didcot Railway Centre
Didcot, Oxon, OX11 7NJ. Tel: 01235 817200. Web: www.didcotrailwaycentre.org.uk Home of the Great Western Society and its unique collection of Great Western Railway steam engines, coaches, wagons, buildings and small relics and a recreation of Brunel's broad gauge railway. Half term steamdays:Saturday/Sunday/Wednesday 15/16/19 February. Day Out With Thomas Saturday/Sunday 1/2 March.
Buscot Park & The Faringdon Collection Faringdon, Oxfordshire SN7 8BU. Tel: 01367 240932. (Information Line). Web: www.buscotpark.com
Family home of Lord Faringdon, who looks after the property on behalf of the National Trust, together with the family collection of pictures, furniture, ceramics and objets d'art, known as the Faringdon Collection. Includes Burne-Jones's famous series, The legend of the Briar Rose.The enchanting gardens contain the spectacular Water Garden designed by Harold Peto in 1904 for the first Lord Faringdon. See website for more details www.buscotpark.com
Oxford Official Guided Walking Tours 15-16 Broad Street, Oxford, OX1 3AS.Tel: 01865 252200. Email: tic@oxford.gov.uk Web: www.visitoxfordandoxfordshire.com
What better way to discover our beautiful city than on foot? The Official Guided Walking Tours are a fascinating and entertaining way to explore and learn about this unique city, its history, University, famous people and odd traditions. Oxford Official Guided Walking Tours cover a wide range of topics from an introduction to the city and its University to Inspector Morse, Harry Potter, J.R.R. Tolkien and more.
Millets Farm Centre
Kingston Road, Frilford, Nr Abingdon, Oxfordshire OX13 5HB. Tel: 01865 392200. Web: www.milletsfarmcentre.com With lots to see and do, including Farm Shop selling farm produced food, Garden Centre, Restaurants, Farm Zoo, Children’s Play Area, Woodland Walk and lots of seasonal events. A great day out for ALL the family. Open: 7 days a week. Free entry and free car parking.
Crocodiles of the World
Burford Road, Brize Norton, Oxfordshire OX18 3NX. Tel: 01993 846353. Web: www.crocodilesoftheworld.co.uk We're the UK's only crocodile zoo with over 80 crocodiles and 12 different species. We're open weekly on Sundays between 9.00am and 4.30pm. We also have guided tours running every Saturday afternoon and other selected days, and are open for group visits and private tours.
Wychwood Brewery
Eagle Maltings, The Crofts, Witney, Oxfordshire, OX28 4DP. Tel: 01993 890 800. Web: www.wychwood.co.uk Hand-crafted fine beers and organic ales from the famous Oxfordshire brewer. Wychwood Brewery is an English brewery founded by Paddy Glenny in 1983, and located in the town of Witney, Oxfordshire in the United Kingdom. It is owned by Refresh UK, a subsidiary of Marstons plc.
www.inoxford.com
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Attraction Article:
Easter Weekend at Blenheim Palace Whether you are looking for a day full of fun family entertainment, special events or an experience infused with history and the great outdoors, Blenheim Palace has it all in 2014. There is plenty of family fun to be had over the Easter weekend with an exciting Easter eggstravaganza of activities taking place. On the 18th – 19th April children can enjoy the Blenheim Palace Easter Egg Hunt around the Pleasure Gardens, with clues to be solved and prizes to be won! On the 20th – 21st April popular children’s characters Peppa Pig, George, Mummy Pig & Daddy Pig, plus Fireman Sam will be making appearances at intervals on each day. This year will be a milestone year and one not to miss as Peppa Pig celebrates its 10 year anniversary with ‘10 Years of Muddy Puddles’. Other family activities will include a bouncy castle, crafts at our ‘Pottering About' studio, traditional fairground rides (small additional charges apply), as well as the opportunity to visit the fantastic Children's Shop. Food, refreshments and Easter treats will be available in the Pleasure Gardens Deli, including cupcake decorating and ‘Yoo Moo' yoghurt shakes, or try one of our 'Shaker' salads and fresh oven baked pizzas! Existing family fun activities at The Pleasure Gardens include the giant Marlborough Hedge Maze, The Butterfly House and the Adventure Playground. The year ahead is filled with a calendar of fun and exciting events for everyone to enjoy, with highlight events including an exclusive WWI Exhibition ‘A Great Estate at War – Land, Sea and Air’, May Bank Holiday Jousting Tournament, Blenheim Palace Flower Show, CLA Game Fair and so much more. Buy one day, get 12 months free, so you can keep coming back to explore all that there is on offer throughout 2014! For further information or to book tickets visit www.blenheimpalace.com or call 0800 849 6500.
Web: www.blenheimpalace.com www.inoxford.com
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Oxfordshire Theatre Oxford Playhouse
Oxford Playhouse 11 - 12 Beaumont Street Oxford OX1 2LW. Box Office: 01865 305305. Web: www.oxfordplayhouse.com
Moon on a Rainbow Shawl
Tuesday 11th - Saturday 15th March: In Port of Spain, Trinidad, the snatches of calypso music, hymn tunes and drums are interrupted by the raucous celebrations of troops returning from war. Here, neighbours drink, brawl, make love, look out for each other and crave a better life. But Ephraim is no idle dreamer and nothing, not even the seductive Rosa, is going to stop him from escaping his dead-end job for a fresh start in England.
Nineties Woman
Friday 21st March: Live interactive storytelling interspersed with video interviews, music and photo archive. Award-winning comedian Rosie Wilby traces a personal journey through early 90s feminism to find the collective of women who set up Matrix, York University’s feminist newspaper in the 90s. Time: 19:30 Tickets: £10 (£8)
The North Wall Arts Centre
South Parade, Oxford, OX2 7JN. Booking: 01865 319450. Web: www.thenorthwall.org
The Adventures of Alvin Sputnik: Deep Sea Explorer
Wednesday 13th March: A tiny tale of a solitary explorer with a heart as big as a whale, set in the deepest, darkest blue sea. This multi-award winning piece of heart-warming, theatrical magic uses projection, puppetry and live music to tell a one-man micro-epic about enduring love and the end of the world. Tickets: £13.00 Concession £11.00 Time: 8pm.
Cornerstone Arts Centre
25 Station Road, Didcot, Oxon, OX11 7NE. Booking: 01235 515144. Web: www.cornerstone-arts.org
Young and Strange
Saturday 15th March: Young and Strange are illusionists who are also great stage show performers. The act is shot through with comedy, making it all round entertainment. The tricks are also very clever, featuring very good sleight of hand and an incredible surprise ending! Tickets: £14.50, £13 (concs), £45 (family ticket) Ages: 8+ and adults Time: 7pm
The Old Fire Station
40 George Street, Oxford, OX1 2AQ. Tel: 01865 263980. Web: www.oldfirestation.org.uk
The Table
Tuesday 11th March: Moses is a cantankerous 3 man operated puppet with a cardboard head… who lives on a table. Tonight he wants to tell you an epic story about God and Moses, life and death, and puppetry… on a table. But he gets easily distracted. Like a cross of Tommy Cooper and Eddie Izzard this table top puppet philosopher cum stand-up comedian is the funniest “piece of cardboard” you’ll ever meet. Tickets: £12, £10 from Tickets Oxford – www.ticketsoxford.com / 01865 305305 or on the door Time: 7.30pm
WAIST
Thursday 20th March: A break-up sped up by a mythbeast. Sad sitcom turns into drunk circus. WAIST is a new play about kebabs, satyrs, and not being alone, from a Royal Court Young Writer who has been shortlisted for the RSC Other Prize. ‘capturing a youthful ennui with scathing accuracy… really does embody that oft-trumpeted spirit of the fringe.’ The Independent. Tickets: £12, £10 from Tickets Oxford – www.ticketsoxford.com / 01865 305305 or on the door. Time: 8pm (Doors 7.45pm)
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Fallowfields Restaurant is located only 20 minutes from Oxford. This elegant country house is a small, independently owned, providing fine British dining. Head Chef Matt Weedon and his team use wonderful fresh produce, much of it grown or reared on its own farm. The restaurant faces south, overlooking a croquet lawn, and offers the perfect ambience at any time of day to enjoy a relaxing, peaceful and unrushed lunch or dinner. In the summer months, food and drinks can be taken on the terrace, with its uninterrupted view of the Ridgeway. The well-stocked bar, offers plenty of variety with a wide range of single malt whiskeys, five different gins and locally brewed bottled beer and ten different wines by the glass.
Open Mon-Sun noon- 2.30pm, 7pm-10pm
Kingston Bagpuize with Southmoor, OX13 5BH stay@fallowfields.com www.fallowfields.com Tel: 01865 820416
Oxfordshire Cinema March Film Releases Select highlights of films on in Oxford and Oxfordshire over this month. Please see inoxford.com for more details and trailers. Tweet us what you think of this months releases @inoxford
Muppets Most Wanted Disney's "Muppets Most Wanted" takes the entire Muppets gang on a global tour, selling out grand theaters in some of Europe's most exciting destinations, including Berlin, Madrid and London. But mayhem follows the Muppets overseas, as they find themselves unwittingly entangled in an international crime caper headed by Constantine—the World's Number One Criminal and a dead ringer for Kermit—and his dastardly sidekick Dominic, aka Number Two, portrayed by Ricky Gervais.
Captain America: The Winter Soldier Captain America: The Winter Soldier” will pick-up where “Marvel’s The Avengers” left off, as Steve Rogers struggles to embrace his role in the modern world and teams up with Natasha Romanoff, aka Black Widow, to battle a powerful yet shadowy enemy in present-day Washington, D.C.
Need for Speed Based on the most successful racing video game franchise ever with over 140 million copies sold, DreamWorks Pictures' "Need for Speed" captures the thrills of the game in a real-world setting. The story chronicles a nearimpossible cross-country race against time—one that begins as a mission for revenge, but proves to be one of redemption.
300: Rise of an Empire This new chapter of the epic saga takes the action to a fresh battlefield—on the sea—as Greek general Themistokles attempts to unite all of Greece by leading the charge that will change the course of the war. "300: Rise of an Empire" pits Themistokles against the massive invading Persian forces led by mortal-turned-god Xerxes, and Artemesia, vengeful commander of the Persian navy.
Ride Along For the past two years, high-school security guard Benhas been trying to show decorated APD detective James that he's more than just a video-game junkie who's unworthy of James' sister, Angela. When Ben finally gets accepted into the academy, he thinks he's earned the seasoned policeman’s respect and asks for his blessing to marry Angela. Knowing that a ride along will demonstrate if Ben has what it takes to take care of his sister, James invites him on a shift designed to scare the hell out of the trainee.
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Oxfordshire Music Orchestra of St John’s Email: orchestra@osj.org.uk Web: www.osj.org.uk
John Woolrich 60th Birthday Concert
Sunday 6th April: Daniel Pioro: Violin Jane Atkins: Viola John Lubbock: Conductor. Wolf/Woolrich: Italian Songs, John Woolrich: Ulysses Awakes; Capriccio; New Comission, MozartSinfonia Concertante: in Eb major, K. 364. Time: 7.30pm Ticket prices: A = £26, B = £20, C = £15, D = £10 Booking phone: 020 7222 1061
OSJ Proms at the Ashmolean
Tuesday 15th April: Christina Gansch: Soprano, Darren Moore: Trumpet Bach: Concerto for 3 Harpsichords arr. Lubbock Bach: Cantata 51 – Jauchzet Gott in Allen Landen Purcell: Chaconne; conducted by Karin Hendrickson Purcell: Trumpet Sonata Handel: Let the Bright Seraphim Time: 7.30pm Ticket prices: £25 Chair / £10 bring your own cushion Booking phone: 0845 680 1926
City Of Oxford Orchestra
Tel: 01865 744457. Web: www.cityofoxfordorchestra.co.uk E-mail: info@cityofoxfordorchestra.co.uk
Springtime Baroque
Saturday 5th April: Celebrate the arrival of spring (hopefully!) with the City of Oxford Orchestra's lively Springtime Baroque programme! Dance in the aisles to the Arrival of the Queen of Sheba before listening to an eclectic mix of Vivaldi, Telemann, Albinoni and Bach, led by virtuous violinist, Roland Roberts and his superb ensemble. Venue: Sheldonian Theatre Time: 8pm Tickets £10-£31 (concessions on all) City of Oxford Orchestra: 01865 74457 www.cityofoxfordorchestra.co.uk Oxford Playhouse: 01865 305305
Oxford Philomusica Thursday 6 March, Sheldonian Theatre, 7.30pm
Youth Concerto Competition Final GRIEG Piano Concerto in A minor SIBELIUS Violin Concerto NIELSEN Flute Concerto Zizhou Zhang piano, Enyuan Khong violin, Daniel Shao flute, John Traill conductor 01865 980 980 www.oxfordphil.com
Jacqueline du Pré Music Building
St Hilda's College, Cowley Place, Oxford, OX4 1DY. Tel: 01865 286660. Web: www.st-hildas.ox.ac.uk/jdp
JDP Chamber Musci Series Fitzwilliam Quartet
Saturday 8th March: TCHAIKOVSKY Quartet in B flat major DELIUS Late Swallows SHOSTAKOVICH Quartet no.13 in B flat minor Op.138 SIBELIUS Quartet in D minor Op.56, ‘Voces Intimae’. This season we are delighted to present the Fitzwilliam Quartet. Opening with Tchaikovsky’s much-loved Quartet in Bb, this programme also includes Sibelius’s Voces intimae (‘Intimate voices’) alongside a pastoral rarity from English composer Frederick Delius. The programme closes with Shostakovich’s Quartet no.13, an intensely-moving, one-movement offering from one of the twentieth century’s most significant composers in the genre. The ticket price includes entry to a pre-concert talk given by Alan George – violist, lecturer and writer. Time: 8pm (pre-concert talk, 7.15pm) Tickets: £25 gallery/ £20 stalls/ £5 students
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Oxfordshire Music Oxford Philomusica
Saïd Business School, University of Oxford, Egrove Park, Oxford OX1 5NY. Tel: 01865 980 980. Web: www.oxfordphil.com E-mail: info@oxfordphil.com
Shlomo Mintz and Oxford Philomusica
Thursday 13th March: Mendelssohn Violin Concerto in E minor, Op. 64 Brahms Symphony No. 1 in C minor, Op. 68 Shlomo Mintz violin/conductor. Shlomo Mintz is one of the foremost violinists of our time. Celebrating his 50th year on stage, he will showcase his impeccable musicianship and artistry in Mendelssohn’s last orchestral work – a powerhouse of a piece whose lightening-quick finale couldn’t be more suited to Mintz’s commanding technique. Laying his violin to one side, Mintz will end the concert in the role of conductor, leading the Orchestra in Brahms’s profound First Symphony. Venue: Sheldonian Theatre, Time: 8pm Tickets: £40 £28 £18 £10
Music At Oxford
Osney Lock Boathouse, Osney Lock, Bridge Street, Oxford, OX2 0AX. Box Office: 01865 244 806. Web: www.musicatoxford.com
Oxford Bach Choir & London Mozart Players
Saturday 15th March: Bach St John Passion. Oxford Bach Choir & London Mozart Players, conducted by Timothy Byram-Wigfield. Following its resounding success with a sell out performance of Benjamin Britten’s War Requiem last season, we are delighted to welcome back the Oxford Bach Choir to perform a work by the composer at the heart of its musical raison d’etre with the wonderful St John Passion by J S Bach. Written in 1724 the St John Passion is full of the ferocity and sorrow of the Good Friday story whilst at the same time suffused with all the hope, light and optimism anticipating the resurrection in a way that only Bach could achieve. Joined by the forces of the London Mozart Players we are sure that this concert will leave you in no doubt about the greatness of this unique work and an early booking is advised. Box Office 01865 244806, online www.musicatoxford.com Time: 7.30pm Veune: Sheldonian Theatre, Broad Street, Oxford, OX1 3AZ
Paul Lewis
Friday 21st March: Following the completion of Paul’s massive Schubert cycle we are delighted to welcome his return offering a selection of work from Beethoven, Liszt, Mussorgsky and Busoni. Beethoven’s Moonlight Sonata will be a highlight of the evening, Lewis’ interpretation of Beethoven's sonatas having first brought him to international attention. Paul always brings to his performances an intimacy, as well as a warm, inviting sound and heartfelt commitment. His quiet, undemonstrative character always allows the music to shine through above all else. Tickets £42 £28 £18 £10 (Students £5 off/Under 18s half price) Box Office 01865 244806, online www.musicatoxford.com Venue: Sheldonian Theatre Time: 7.30pm
Faculty of Music of Oxford University
St Aldate’s, Oxford, OX1 1DB. Tel: 01865 276133. Web: www.music.ox.ac.uk/events
Research Colloquium with Harriet Boyd (Christ Church, University of Oxford)
Tuesday 4th March: Futurism on Tour c.1924. The Colloquium is followed by discussion and a drinks reception. Students, staff and general public are warmly encouraged to attend. Admission: Free – open to the public, Time: 5.15pm, Venue: Faculty of Music
Cavaleri String Quartet Concert
Wednesday 5th March: The stunning Cavaleri String Quartet are returning to Oxford to complete their three-year residency with the Music Faculty. For their final concert they will give an exciting programme mixing 20th century pieces with Beethoven’s masterpiece from the Razumovski quartets. They have also chosen to include a piece by Music student Anna Appleby. Admission: £14 / £10 www.ticketsoxford.com / 01865 305 305, Time: 8pm, Venue: Holywell Music Room
Cavaleri String Quartet Composition Workshop
Thursday 6th March: The dynamic and vibrant Cavaleri Quartet, in residence at the University of Oxford, engage with student composers by performing and discussing their new compositions in an open workshop. Admission: Free – open to the public, Time: 1.30pm, Venue: Faculty of Music
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Oxford Coffee Concerts
One of the top ten things to do in the UK (Observer) Nominated for the Royal Philharmonic Society Awards 2012. Every Sunday Morning at 11:15am. In the Wonderful Holywell Music Room ( Oldest Concert Hall in Europe) Coffee Served before and after the concert at the Kings Arms and Vaults Cafe.
Oxford Coffee Concerts
9 March: Tippett String Quartet John Mills - Violin, Jeremy Isaac - Violin, Lydia Northcot - Viola, Bozidar Vukotic – Cello Mozart Introduction and Allegro, Janacek String Quartet “Intimate Letters” 16 March: Adderbury Ensemble Viv Mclean (piano), David Lepage (violin), Christopher Windass (viola), Katherine Sharman (cello), Andrew Davis (double bass), Schubert Piano Quintet in A “Trout” 23 March: Gould Piano Trio Lucy Gould (violin), Alice Neary (viola), Benjamin Frith (piano), With David Adams (viola), Stanford Piano Quartet no.1, Brahms Piano Trio in C major op.87 6 April: Sacconi String Quartet Ben Hancox violin, Hannah Dawson violin, Robin Ashwell viola, Cara Berridge cello, Schubert String Quartet in G major. £11 adults, £10 full time students, senior citizens and under 16s Free admission to children ages 5 -10 accompanied by an adult (under 5s not permitted entry) Tickets Available at the door or from Oxford Playhouse Tel: 01865 305305 Web: www.coffeeconcerts.com
Springtime Baroque Saturday 5 April 8pm SHELDONIAN THEATRE
HANDEL
Arrival of the Queen of Sheba
VIVALDI
Oxford’s Professional Orchestra
Spring
TELEMANN
Oboe Concerto
BACH
Brandenburg Concerto No. 3
Tim Watts Oboe Roland Roberts Director/Violin
Tickets £10 - £31 01865 744457 / 305305
CHAMBER MUSIC SERIES
CUSHION CONCERTS Family-friendly daytime concerts
FITZWILLIAM QUARTET TCHAIKOVSKY Quartet in B flat DELIUS Late Swallows SHOSTAKOVICH Quartet no.13 SIBELIUS ‘Voces Intimae’
MEET THE ORCHESTRA Sunday 2nd March at 12pm ALL STARS JAZZ Sunday 6th April at 11am
Saturday 8th March at 8pm Pre-concert talk by violist Alan George at 7:15pm
St Hilda’s College, Cowley Place, Oxford, OX4 1DY Tickets: Oxford Playhouse 01865 305 305 www.st-hildas.ox.ac.uk/jdp Want more detailed information about Musical events in Oxford? Just visit inoxford.com Your Guide To The City www.inoxford.com
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Oxfordshire Art & Antiques Rachel Ducker Wire Sculpture Tel: 01865 311418. M: 07855 751756. Web: www.rachelducker.co.uk
Rachel specialises in sculptured wire figures concentrating on the expressive & emotional dynamics of human nature. Handcrafted from annealed steel wire, galvanised & black. Coloured enamelled copper wire hair. From 30cm to lifesize. Price determined by size and complexity of the piece. Please call to find out more about viewing Rachel’s work.
University of Oxford Shop 106 High Street, Oxford OX1 4BW. Tel: 01865 247414. Web: www.oushop.com
Watercolour, Acrylic, Photography and Prints of views around the City. Artists displayed include Valerie Petts, Ken Messer, David Langford, John Bastin and many more. On sale year round, commissions accepted.
Kieran Stiles Art Studios
Folly Bridge, Oxford. Tel: 07967 075367. Web: www.artcoursesoxford.com E-mail: kieran@artcoursesoxford.com A range of beginner and advanced courses in painting, printmaking and life drawing with a professional artist and experienced, qualified teacher. Midweek and weekend tuition in a friendly atmosphere. Group sessions, all day workshops and individual tutorials. Exhibition space available. All in the inspiring setting of Folly Bridge, Oxford.
Modern Art Oxford
30 Pembroke Street, Oxford, OX1 1BP. Tel: 01865 722 733. Web: www.modernartoxford.org.uk
Hannah Rickards
Saturday 15th February – Monday 21st April: Hannah Rickards' meticulously researched and executed works explore the elusive landscape of perception and language. Her attention is particularly drawn to natural phenomena such as birdsong, thunder, mirage and the aurora borealis which she examines through spatial works that take the form of moving image and sound.
Modern Artists Gallery
High St.Whitchurch on Thames, Oxon, RG8 7EX. Tel: 0118 984 5893. Web: www.modernartistsgallery.com Contemporary Fine Art Gallery Specialising in Professional Artists & Emerging Practice. Exhibiting during March: Matthieu Leger, Sue Bartlett, Frank To, Mark Hall, Fletcher Prentice, Kathryn Thomas. OwnArt? This scheme enables you to purchase artwork by artists from the Modern Artists Gallery at 0% interest over 10 months. Image: MATTHIEU LEGER ‘GREEN’ 25 x 30 cm / 10 x 12 ins. oil on canvas
Gallery at the Old Fire Station
40 George Street, Oxford, OX1 2AQ. Tel: 01865 263980. Web: www.oldfirestation.org.uk Opening times: Tue – Sat, 10am-5pm
All the Familiar Things by Emma Moxey
Friday 21st February – Saturday 29th March: Adventuring into the softverged concepts of the place and the pre-place, the visible and the invisible, the temporal and the timeless; Emma Moxey posits herself as an abstract explorer and quasimapmaker. The territory is one of chaotic marking, and loose gesture, and it’s easy to get lost. She plans her path. She lays down the rules. She brings it to order.
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Sanders of Oxford Rare Prints & Maps Cecil Aldin Exhibition 7th – 23rd March This March Sanders of Oxford in association with Nick Potter Ltd present an exhibition of fine printed works by Cecil Aldin and his contemporaries. Featuring over fifty prints in his trademark graphic style of classic British subjects. Sanders of Oxford, situated in the 17th century Salutation Inn, has long been a landmark on the High Street. Our selection of prints and maps, dating from 16th – 20th Centuries, is extensive and encompasses a wide range of subjects, engravers and prices.
104 High Street, Oxford OX1 4BW. Tel: 01865 242590. E-mail: info@sandersofoxford.com. Web: www.sandersofoxford.com. Open: Mon to Sat 10am - 6pm Sun 11am - 5pm Admission: FREE.
Christ Church Picture Gallery Inferno - Purgatory - Paradise Geoff MacEwan interprets Dante's Divine Comedy
12th March to 19th May Opening Times Mon, Wed - Sat: 10.30am - 1pm & 2 - 4.30pm Sun: 2 - 4.30pm (Closed Tuesdays) Christ Church, Oxford. Entrance Via Oriel Square. Admission: £3/£2 Tel: 01865 276172 www.chch.ox.ac.uk/gallery
OXFORD’S ANTIQUES & CRAFT CENTRE Choose from a wide range of Antiques, Jewellery, Collectables & Books plus original works by local Craftspeople and Artists. Antiques on High, 85 High Street, Oxford OX1 4BG. Tel:01865-251075. Open: Monday - Saturday 10am - 5pm, Sundays and Bank Holidays 11am - 5pm.
www.antiquesonhigh.co.uk
Spring Printmaking March www.wisegal.com 40/41 South Parade, Summertown, Oxford, OX2 7JL. Tel: 01865 515123.
www.inoxford.com
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Oxfordshire Education EF International Language Centre
Pullens Lane, OX3 0DT, Headington, Oxford. Tel: +44 (0) 1865 759 660. www.ef.co.uk – Facebook: EF Oxford – Twitter: @efoxford EF International Language centres, is a Modern campus with disabled friendly facilities. Situated in the prestigious area, Pullens Lane in Oxford. We offer English courses and University preparation to students from more than 50 countries. Our courses are flexible in length to suit you, from 2 weeks to 52 weeks a year. Our EF Efektatm learning system is widely known to be the most effective way to learn. You are guaranteed to learn faster with our experienced teachers, the latest language technology and interaction with the local culture plus we will help you prepare for and take official language proficiency exams for example, IELTS and Cambridge ESOL, being also an examination centre for the Cambridge exams. EF offers you a complete study experience, including free-time activities and excursions. We arrange accommodation, meals, visa guidance, medical insurance and anything else you can think of, so you are able to just focus on learning and enjoying your course and exciting experience.”
The Lake School of English Oxford
14 Park End Street, Oxford OX1 1JQ. Tel: +44 (0) 1865 724312. Email: carmel@englishinoxford.com Web: www.englishinoxford.com In the centre of Oxford, the Lake School of English offers a professional, dynamic approach to teaching and a supportive environment for learning with intensive courses delivered by well-qualified and experienced teachers. Our students enjoy personal attention, inclusive social activities, comfortable accommodation and lovely self-study facilities. The Lake School is British Council accredited, a Centre of Excellence 2010 - 2012, and a member of Quality English.
College of International Education Bocardo House, 24B St Michael’s Street, Oxford OX1 2EB. Tel: 01865 202238. Web: www.cie-oxford.com
The College of International Education (CIE) is a small college, located in the centre of Oxford, opposite the famous Oxford Union. We offer English Language, Academic, Foundation Year and Pre-Boarding courses. Tuition is in small classes (max 8), given by dedicated and well-qualified teachers.
Our Lady’s Abingdon
Radley Road, Abingdon, Oxfordshire, OX14 3PS. Tel: 01235 524658. Web: www.olab.org.uk Our Lady's Abingdon has a committed approach to partnership between school, pupil and parents. We offer opportunities to enjoy success in a range of different areas.
Eckersley Oxford
14 Friars Entry, Oxford OX1 2BZ. Tel: 01865 721268. Web: www.eckersley.co.uk Over 50 years teaching English to foreign students in the centre of Oxford, with experienced and qualified teachers. Our long tradition combines with a 21st century approach and state-of-the-art facilities, including interactive whiteboards, a digital language laboratory and of course wireless access from just about anywhere in the School.
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www.inoxford.com
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Oxfordshire Accommodation Macdonald Randolph Hotel
Beaumont Street, Oxford OX1 2LN. Tel: 01865 256400. Web: www.macdonald-hotels.co.uk/randolph Oxford's leading hotel - The AA Five star Macdonald Randolph - is situated in the heart of the city opposite the world famous Ashmolean Museum. Built in 1864 and recently refurbished, the hotel offers each guest the highest level of comfort and service in a traditional and welcoming environment. The location makes the Macdonald Randolph Hotel an ideal base for exploring the historic sights of Oxford or the thriving shopping centre just two minutes walk away.
The Manor Hotel
The Manor at Weston-on-the-Green, Oxfordshire, OX25 3QL. Tel: 1869 350621. www.themanorweston.com The Manor at Weston-on-the-Green nestles in the heart of the Cotswolds. Proud of its 900-year-old history, the Manor is today a country house hotel, opening its doors to guests who seek a truly relaxed escape, with fine food, fine wine and beautiful, fascinating surroundings.We invite you to treat our hotel as your home: we do not stand on ceremony here. Explore our house and gardens, take a dip in the pool or a walk in the grounds. Our doors are open and we invite you in. Welcome to the Manor at Weston-on-the-Green.
River Hotel
Botley Road, Oxford, OX2 0AA. Tel: (01865) 243475. Guests: 249756. Fax: 724306. Web: www.riverhotel.co.uk Email: reception@riverhotel.co.uk • Excellent City location by River Thames, originally an 1870’s Masterbuilder’s home, College owned property, On ‘Thames walk’ at Osney bridge. Lawn to riverbank. Residents bar. • 20 bedrooms with own bathroom, direct dial telephone, hot beverage tray, T.V. clock radio, hairdryer, free WiFi on site. • Car park/CCTV on site - free for residents. Sat Nav via Mill st. OX2 0AJ. 1 mile to A34 ring road west at Seacourt on A420. • 24-hour access for registered residents. Closedown by midnight. Airport arrival late check-in request only if pre-arranged. Daytime left luggage/car parking service available after 11am check-out. • VisitBritain ** Metro Hotel grading, breakfast service only. “Large enough to be comfortable, small enough to be friendly”
YHA
2a Botley Rd, Oxford OX2 0AB. Tel: 01865 727275. Web: www.yha.org.uk The best value budget accommodation in town. Centrally located with en-suite rooms, breakfast buffet, bar and Great British menu, YHA Oxford redefines what you can expect from a hostel. We offer 24 hr access, internet access, luggage store and private rooms all 5 minutes walk from the city centre.
The Beetle and Wedge
Ferry Lane Moulsford-on-Thames, Oxfordshire OX10 9JF. Tel: 01491 651381. Web: www.beetleandwedge.co.uk Set on the banks of the River Thames immortalised in 'The Wind in the Willows' and Jerome K Jerome's chronicled escapades of his friends' visits in 'Three Men in a Boat', the Boathouse Restaurant emphasis is on quality of food, wines and service. The older part of our beautiful old beamed Boathouse offers our famous open charcoal grill where delicacies are created before your very eyes. Join us and enjoy the tranquillity and peace of a beautiful riverside setting for relaxed dining.
Burlington House Hotel
374 Banbury Road, Oxford, OX2 7PP. Tel: 01865 513 513. Web: www.burlington-hotel-oxford.co.uk Nestling in leafy Oxford, a short bus ride away from the bustling City Centre, Burlington House offers high quality and peaceful luxury bed & breakfast accommodation to Oxford’s many visitors. Burlington Guest House has been consistently awarded the highest accommodation rating and is now Five Stars Highly Commended under the new AA scheme. Burlington House has been recommended by both the Which? Guide to Good Hotels and its sister publication, the Which? Guide to Good Bed & Breakfasts.
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Royal Oxford Hotel
Park End Street, Oxford OX1 1HR. Tel: 01865 248432. Web: www.royaloxfordhotel.co.uk The Royal Oxford Hotel is a Non Smoking Property located 2 minutes walk to the bus and train stations and offers: * Air conditioned bedrooms * Free wireless network throughout the hotel * Spacious and well appointed accommodation * Complementary water and selection of fresh fruit in all bedrooms * Tourist Information Within easy reach of the train station and the centre of Oxford.
Hawkwell House
Church Way, Iffley Village, Oxford, OX4 4DZ. Tel: 01865 749988. Web: www.hawkwellhouse.co.uk If you are looking for a hotel near Oxford or a wedding venue in Oxfordshire, there are few better-placed than Hawkwell House Hotel, which offers comfortable rooms in Iffley Village. The Cotswolds Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty has something for everyone, including beautiful English villages, a wealth of National Trust stately homes and gardens, and for children, the Cotswolds Wildlife Park and Gardens.
Malmaison
3 New Rd, Oxford OX1 1AY. Tel: 0844 693 0659. Web: www.malmaison.com/locations/oxford Tired of doing hard time in run-of-the-mill hotels? Well, this time you're going to the slammer in style, at the former gaol now known as Malmaison Oxford. You're not going to be behind bars though: you're going to be sipping the coolest cocktails in the free world at MALBAR. And don't worry about doing porridge. Mal Brasserie serves an eclectic mix of classic dishes with a twist, from freshly caught fish to the famous Mal Burger.
Hope House Woodstock
14 Oxford Street, Woodstock, Oxford, OX20 1TS. Tel: 01993 815990. Web: www.hopehousewoodstock.co.uk Three spacious suites (60-80sqm) have all been meticulously restored and magnificently furnished. Within 500 metres of our front door are 14 eateries. Some fine AA two rosette restaurants, lively brasseries and gastro pubs. No shortage of culinary options for your stay at Hope House. There are also 15 public houses within walking distance!
Old Bank Hotel
92 - 94 High Street, Oxford, OX1 4BJ. Tel: 01865 799 599. Web: www.oldbank-hotel.co.uk The independently owned Old Bank, situated on Oxford’s High Street, is a breathtaking statement in design and arguably one of the best locations in Oxford. Awarded the Best City Hotel 2011 by the Good Hotel Guide, it is surrounded by the famous colleges of Merton, All Souls, Christ Church and University and is directly opposite the Bodleian library and Radcliffe Camera.
Old Parsonage
1 Banbury Rd, Oxford OX2 6NN. Tel: 01865 310210. Web: www.oldparsonage-hotel.co.uk The independently owned Old Parsonage Hotel, situated in St Giles, dates back to the 1660. The restaurant & bar with their Russian red walls is the perfect place for an informal lunch, afternoon tea or dinner. Afternoon tea at the Old Parsonage is a very English affair to be enjoyed at this time of year on our sheltered terrace.
Vanburgh House Hotel
20-24 St Michael’s Street, Oxford, OX1 2EB. Tel: 01865 244 622. Web: www.vanbrughhousehotel.co.uk Vanbrugh House Hotel gives a unique guest experience. With 22 individual bedrooms and suites of contemporary design, it offers comfort and style. Featuring English hand crafted furniture, eclectic fixtures and fittings, whilst being set in an historic building. There are echoes of the hotels own 18th century heritage in the combination of highly-polished service and homeliness. To stay in Vanbrugh House is to live in the heart of Oxford past and present.
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Oxfordshire Accommodation The Feathers Hotel
Market Street, Woodstock, Oxfordshire OX20 1SX. Tel: 01993 812 291. Web: www.feathers.co.uk The Feathers Hotel is an inviting country retreat that combines historic charm with a fun personality. Named Oxfordshire’s Restaurant of the Year 2012, it currently holds the Guinness World Record for the largest collection of gin (167 varieties). “The Gin Experience” menu is £75 per person for seven courses.
Conifers Guest House
116 The Slade, Headington Oxford OX3 7DX. Tel: 01865 763055. Web: www.conifersguesthouse.co.uk A 4 star Guest Accomodation located in Headington area of Oxford, Conifers offers en-suite bedrooms with free Wi- Fi internet access, flat screen multichannel TV’s and free parking.
Fallowfields Country House Hotel Faringdon Rd, Abingdon, Oxfordshire OX13 5BH. Tel: 01865 820416. Web: www.fallowfields.com
Fallowfields is one of the leading boutique hotels in Oxfordshire. Our fine dining restaurant is outstanding. Guests come here for wonderful food, bedrooms and calm, tranquil surroundings. “Boutique hotels in Oxfordshire don’t get much better than this”
The Oxford Hotel
Godstow Road, Oxford, Oxfordshire, OX2 8AL Tel: 01865 489 988 Web: www.pumahotels.co.uk/hotels/the-oxford-hotel With great transport links into Oxford, The Oxford Hotel is the ideal place to stay when exploring Oxford and the surrounding area. Features: Free WiFi, 168 bedrooms, Easily accessible from M40, Health Club with swimming pool, Close to Blenheim Palace, Conference facilities, AA Rosette restaurant, Free car park, Beauty rooms, 2 miles from city centre.
Bear & Ragged Staff
28 Appleton Road, Cumnor, Oxfordshire OX2 9QH Tel: 01865 862329 Web: www.bearandraggedstaff.com The room count in Cumnor has just increased by another 125% with the opening of the last five of nine rooms at the Bear and Ragged Staff in December 2012. The Bear is just 2 miles away from the A34, 4 miles West of Oxford and without all the city centre parking issues and outside rush hour, is just a 12 minute drive away. Park and Ride facilities are just a 5 minute drive.
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Oxfordshire Shopping Shop at the Old Fire Station
Gloucester Green, Oxford, OX1 2AQ. Web: www.oldfirestation.org.uk Tel: 01865 263980 Opening Times: Tuesday-Saturday, 10am-5pm Drawing in creative talent from across the UK, with a particular focus on the ‘home grown’ artists of Oxfordshire and the South East, the shop sells original prints and illustrations, jewellery, accessories, cards, zines and more…On 14th June, 5.30-8pm they will be launching the online shop and all are welcome. There will be live music, tasty treats from a local food creator, a making station and exclusive discounts.
University of Oxford Shop 106 High Street, Oxford OX1 4BW. Tel: 01865 247414. Web: www.oushop.com
The University of Oxford Shop is wholly owned by the University and offers a fantastic range of clothing, gifts and stationery for visitors and local residents alike. All of the profits are given back to the University, making a valuable contribution to the work and teaching of this world-famous establishment.
Blackwell’s
51 Broad St, Oxford, OX1 3BQ. Web: www.blackwell.co.uk we have been serving the needs of book-lovers since 1879. Our booksellers are passionate about the books that we sell and there is nothing that we enjoy more than making a perfect recommendation to a customer. For those of you who do not know the shop we trade across four floors, including the cavernous Norrington Room basement, and you will find new and secondhand books on every subject under the sun.
Bicester Village
50 Pingle Dr, Bicester OX26 6WD. Tel: 01869 366266. Web: www.bicestervillage.com Discover a relaxed shopping haven in the beautiful Oxfordshire countryside, where spacious boutiques showcase the world's leading fashion and lifestyle brands. Quality, attention to detail and five-star service are hallmarks of the Bicester Village shopping experience.
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Oxfordshire Restaurants Asian
Shanghai 30’s
82 St. Aldates, Oxford OX1 1RA. Tel: 01865 242230. Web: www.shanghai30s.com Situated in this 15th century building, Shanghai 30's cuisine is based on the both classic and contemporary dishes of Shanghai and the surrounding areas. Shanghai 30’s is the perfect place for a romantic meal or a private function in Oxford city centre.
Rice Box
178 Cowley Road, Oxford, OX4 1UE. Tel: 01865 202138. Web: www.riceboxrestaurant.co.uk Located perfectly in amongst the hustle and bustle of Cowley Road, Rice Box is the place to go to if you want quick service, delicious food and a welcoming smile. Rice Box has a wide selection of dishes, including Chinese, Malaysian, Japanese and Thai.
4500 Miles From Delhi
40-41 Parkend Street, Oxford, OX1 1JD. Tel: 01865 244 922. Web: www.4500miles.co.uk Not just another 'up market' Indian restaurant, quite literally 4500 Miles from Delhi, the restaurant offers diners an ingenious fusion of Asian herbs, spices, fresh meat and vegetables. We have created a place that is relaxing and comfortable.
Gurkha Village
174 Oxford Road OX5 1EA Kidlington. Tel: 01865 378180 / 01865 608572. Web: www.gurkhavillagekidlington.co.uk Gurkha Village is the modern Nepalese Restaurant and Bar with picturesque enclosed beer garden. Our Restaurant is fully fledged dining and drinking institution with first class reputation for gastronomy and hospitality. Our talented chefs mainly use locally sourced fresh quality ingredients to create a memorable authentic Nepalese and Indian food.
Jee Saheb
15 North Parade Avenue, Oxford, OX2 6LX. Tel: (01865) 513773. Web: www.jeesaheb.co.uk With our restaurant we have created an ambience that will make you feel relaxed and welcomed. Our key aim is to use fresh produce and source it from local suppliers where possible. We offer no fuss, just classic Asian cuisine. You can enjoy our food in a main dining room, with a party of friends in our function room with a capacity of 28, or in our garden.
Tree Hotel in Iffley
63 Church Way, Iffley Village, OX4 4EY. Tel: 01865 775974. Web: www.treehotel.co.uk. The Award-winning Annora Restaurant is a charming pub restaurant with specialist European and Indian head chefs, championing wonderful food from around the world using the freshest ingredients, with excellent service and a warm and welcoming atmosphere
Malikas
218 Cowley Road, Oxford, OX4 1UQ. Tel: 01865 723 029. Web: www.malikasrestaurant.co.uk In the middle of the buzzing area of Cowley Road, you will find Malikas, which guarantees a superior Indian cuisine experience! Modern decor, which seats 70, but still the atmosphere is cozy and relaxing.
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Restaurant awarded in the Oxfordshire Restaurant Awards 2011 - 2013
Rosemary
81 London Road, Headington, Oxford, OX3 9AA. Tel: 01865 765 999. Web: www.rosemaryrestaurant.net At Rosemary Restaurant, we are committed to bring you the best of PanAsian cuisine. We offer a variety of Asian menu from traditional to fusion style including Japanese,Thai and Chinese.With a passion for creativity and fresh, unique tastes. We are committed to create a fun place where you can celebrate with great food and top-notch service at a reasonable price.
Yeti Nepalese Restaurant
237 Cowley Road, Oxford, OX4 1XG. Tel: 01865 295959. Web: www.yetinepalese.co.uk Yeti is your local dine out culinary venue in Oxford, where you will have fantastic atmosphere and great food. We endeavour to offer wide and varied choices of the best Nepalese cuisines as well as classic Indian dishes. Traditional cuisines created in a contemporary manner with emphasis on healthy eating. Winner of the Oxfordshire Restaurant Awards 2013 Asian Category.
Aziz
228-230 Cowley Road, Oxford OX4 1UH. Tel: 01865 794945. Web: www.aziz.uk.com With our restaurant we have created and ambiance that will make you feel relaxed and welcomed and with our award winning team from the front of house staff to our award winning chefs who will offer you a great dinning experience.
Qumins
86 St Clement's St, Oxford OX4 1AR. Tel: 01865 247093. Web: www.qumins.co.uk Located in the heart of St.Clement's, East Oxford's chic and stylish restaurant quarter, Qumins offers an exciting new experience in fine Indian cuisine. Bringing together traditional techniques with modern sophistication, our head chef and his team invite you to try our varied and innovative menu.
Contemporary The Broad Face
30-32 Bridge St, Abingdon, Oxon, OX14 3HR. Tel: 01235 537775. Web: www.thebroadface.co.uk Recently refurbished to a high standard in the heart of Abingdon, The Broad Face serves freshly prepared, seasonal food using local produce, cooked to order. First class cuisine and an excellent selection of wines. Make sure you visit what is widely regarded as one of Oxfordshire’s finest restaurants.
Oxford Blue
32 Marston Street, Oxford, OX4 1JU. Tel: 01865 460215. Web: www.theoxfordblue.com We have just finished renovating this delightful building into a stylish pub offering an exciting food paired to beers and wines dining concept. Mark Bradbury has created an eclectic menu of authentic dishes using the very best of local and seasonal ingredients. Chris Murray has matched some really interesting beers and wines to go with the food to make it easier for you to choose.
Quod Brasserie & Bar
92-94 High Street, Oxford OX1 4BN. Tel: 01865 202505. Web: www.quod.co.uk On Oxford’s famous High, Quod Brasserie with its terrace and bar forms the hub of The Old Bank Hotel. There is a huge outdoor terrace, and parking is not a problem. Open all day for breakfast, the famously good value two course set lunch, afternoon tea and dinner, this stylish, busy, bustling brasserie serves simply designed, unpretentious, robust food.
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Oxfordshire Restaurants Fallowfields Hotel & Restaurant
Kingston Bagpuize with Southmoor, Oxfordshire, OX13 5BH. Tel: 01865 820 416. Web: www.fallowfields.com The restaurant at Fallowfields is renowned for serving excellent food prepared using only the finest fresh produce. Our Head Chef, Matt Weedon last year was number 45 in the Sunday Times top 100'Restaurants Awards and, previously gained a Michelin star at Glrnnap Castle and Lords of the Manor. Seasonal fruit, vegetables and herbs are grown in the hotel’s kitchen gardens and orchards and whenever possible meat and poultry is sourced from our own farm. The restaurant faces south to overlook the hotel’s croquet lawn and offers the perfect ambience.
Browns Bar & Brasserie
5-11 Woodstock Rd, Oxford, OX2 6HA. Tel: 01865 511995. Web: www.browns-restaurants Browns in Oxford was the second of this famous group of restaurants to open in 1976. Standing proudly, and rightfully so, being one of the finest restaurants Oxfordshire has to offer, Browns cannot go unnoticed. Stylish branded awnings line the front of the restaurant while a tall stretch of windows beneath entices and invites walkers by to get a glimpse and taste of what Browns has to offer.
Iffley Blue
Church Way, Iffley Village, Oxford, OX4 4DZ. Tel: 01865 749988. Web: www.hawkwellhouse.co.uk Situated just a couple of miles from the centre of Oxford, Iffley Blue is the new restaurant at Hawkwell House Hotel in the beautiful village of Iffley. There is an open style kitchen featuring a wood burning oven, as well as new furniture throughout. The emphasis is on delivering regularly changing seasonal menus with local provenance – as well as exceptional value.
The Feathers
Market Street, Woodstock, Oxfordshire, OX20 1SX. Tel: 01993 812291. Web: www.feathers.co.uk Eating and drinking is at the heart of The Feathers experience. The awardwinning Restaurant serves the best of modern English cuisine and locally sourced ingredients – light and fresh in summer, rich and robust in winter. A more informal Bar is open all day for coffee, lunch, cream tea and supper.
The Evenlode
Old Witney Road, Eynsham, Witney, Oxford OX29 4PS. Tel: 01865 882878. Web: www.theevenlode.co.uk/ The Evenlode is a newly refurbished restaurant in the heart of Oxfordshire that caters for both couples and larger groups. There is ample parking and the bar is family friendly. We are a privately owned business, offering a wide range of drinks and food at affordable prices.
Macdonald Randolph Hotel
Beaumont Street, Oxford OX1 2LN. Tel: 01865 256410. Web: www.macdonald-hotels.co.uk/randolph The restaurant at the Macdonald Randolph Hotel has recently just won its second AA rosette for its cuisine and features contemporary menus in an unrivalled setting with fabulous views of the city. If a more relaxed atmosphere is desired for a quiet drink then the Morse Bar provides a peaceful environment in which you can relax and unwind in after a busy day.
Cherwell Boathouse
Bardwell Road, Oxford OX2 6ST. Tel: 01865 552746. Web: www.cherwellboathouse.co.uk Beautifully located by the river Cherwell. Fine food and renowned wine list (2010 Fine Wine list of the Year) Open lunch and dinner 7 days a week Marquee and terrace available for private hire. Week day lunch menu available 2 courses from £13.50. Al fresco dining available.
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Restaurant awarded in the Oxfordshire Restaurant Awards 2011 - 2013
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Restaurant awarded in the Oxfordshire Restaurant Awards 2011 - 2013
Bear & Ragged Staff
28 Appleton Rd, Cumnor, Oxford OX2 9QH. Tel: 01865 862329. Web: www.bearandraggedstaff.com Whether you are looking for a simple sandwich or businessman's lunch, a romantic dinner for two or a full on three course meal with wine, port liqueurs and coffee, we have the solution. If you want to hold that special family gathering or a sit down banquet for 80, we can accommodate and tailor our offering to your requirements.
Jericho Tavern
56 Walton Street, Jericho, Oxford, OX2 6AE. Tel: 01865 311 775. Web: www.thejerichooxford.co.uk Just outside the old city gates in Oxford's historic suburb, you'll find The Jericho Tavern, a bastion of beautiful beers damn fine pub food and upcoming musical talent - so our learned patrons tell us. Join us for Great British pub-food, The Jericho way. Modern classics and seasonal dishes made with carefully sourced ingredients, cooked to order and served simply.
The Oxford Hotel
Godstow Road, Oxford, Oxfordshire, OX2 8AL. Tel: 01865 489 988. Web: www.pumahotels.co.uk Just outside the old city gates in Oxford's historic suburb, you'll find The Jericho Tavern, a bastion of beautiful beers damn fine pub food and upcoming musical talent - so our learned patrons tell us. Join us for Great British pub-food, The Jericho way. Modern classics and seasonal dishes made with carefully sourced ingredients, cooked to order and served simply.
Turl Street Kitchen
16 Turl St, Oxford OX1 3DH. Tel: 01865 264171. Web: www.turlstreetkitchen.co.uk Open early ’til late, Turl Street Kitchen offers relaxed eating and drinking with a focus on great local produce and independent drinks makers. Drop in and see us for breakfast or coffee, stay for lunch, dinner or drinks.
Traditional
The Red Lion
The Red Lion 14 Gloucester Street, Oxford, OX1 2BN. Tel: 01865 726 255. Web: www.redlionoxford.co.uk Our menu changes with the seasons and is modern British, comfortably interwoven with some Mediterranean influences. It ranges from traditional favourites such as fish and chips and steaks to freshly made pizzas and pastas with the chef’s daily specials showcasing the finest market fresh ingredients. There’s something for everyone and for all occasions too.
Gee’s Restaurant & Bar
61 Banbury Road, Oxford OX2 6PE. Tel: 01865 553540. Web: www.gees-restaurant.co.uk. Gee's, the Oxford restaurant where locals and visitors meet for lunch, dinner, or drinks, brings together simplicity, generosity and hospitality. We serve traditional British food in comfortable, contemporary surroundings. Gee's is a modern bistro offering diners value for money, satisfying seasonal food and a great choice of wines by the glass and carafe.
The Blacks Head Bletchington
The Green, Bletchington, OX5 3DA. Tel: 01869 350315. Web: www.blackshead.com
The Blacks Head pub is a late 18th century public house full of charm and character. Here at the Blacks Head our cullinary focus is on locally sourced, freshly prepared produce. Our Fish and Chips are coated in our popular Ramsbury Flintknapper Bitter. Our Childrens Menu is carefully thought out combining choice and health and our chicken nuggets are made to order from freshly cut chicken breast. For younger diners we have a range of Organic Baby Food.
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Oxfordshire Restaurants The Trout
195 Godstow Road, Wolvercote, Oxford OX2 8PN. Tel: 01865 302071. Web: www.thetroutoxford.co.uk The Trout Inn, Lower Wolvercote, is genuinely part of the rich tapestry that is Oxford life. Famous a long time before it was immortalised in Colin Dexter's Inspector Morse novels, it has been wonderfully restored - You really should book now!
The Beetle and Wedge
Ferry Lane Moulsford-on-Thames, Oxfordshire OX10 9JF. Tel: 01491 651381. Web: www.beetleandwedge.co.uk The Restaurant offers a warm and friendly atmosphere and a magical combination of fabulous food, an idyllic location and great service - our mission is to ensure your time with us is as enjoyable as possible. Families are important to us at The Beetle & Wedge Boathouse and children are always welcome, we can adapt our menus to suit most tastes and provide highchairs where necessary. If you have any special requirements please contact us.
The Big Bang
42 Oxford Castle Quarter, Oxford, OX1 1AY. Tel: 01865 249 413. Web: www.thebigbangrestaurants.co.uk The Big Bang is the true gastronomic experience of Great Britain; classic favourites done with a bit of style. We source almost everything from within 20 miles of the city and in doing so, we allow you to taste the authentic flavours of Oxford, not a chain restaurant version of it. We also throw in the best of our art, of local live music, all served up in the prettiest corner of town, the Oxford Castle Quarter.
The Old Parsonage
1 Banbury Road, Oxford, OX2 6NN. Tel: 01865 292305. Web: www.oldparsonage-hotel.co.uk Our philosophy at The Parsonage is simple: to serve the very best of British food using the very best produce to create superb traditional dishes. Our classic British menu includes seasonal food that will appeal to everyone, from roast partridge with bread sauce to scampi and chips with sauce gribiche, smoked haddock with buttered jersey royals and poached eggs and treacle tart. It is classic British fare prepared with skill and care using the finest ingredients.
The Chequers at Burcot
Abingdon Road, Burcot, Oxon. OX14 3DP. Tel: 01865-407771. Web: www.thechequers-burcot.co.uk. A roaring fire and friendly staff welcome you to The Chequers and along with the opulent décor it is a perfect blend of contemporary and classic styles with a cosy and inviting atmosphere. The 400 year old Chequers at Burcot standing just off the A415 about 5 miles south of Oxford has come a long way since multi-award-winning chef Steven Sanderson first took the reins in 2006.
Cafe
Café Coco
23 Cowley Rd, Oxford, OX4 1HP. Tel: 01865 200232. Web: www.cafe-coco.co.uk Winner Observer Food Awards “Best for kids” in the Southeast. Café Coco has been winning awards and gaining notices for the past sixteen years. it is renowned for sharp yet friendly service, interesting music and a great atmosphere. Considered the finest cappocino in Oxford. Superb pizzas, fresh fish daily, smoothies, mint presse, brownies and banoffee pie.
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Restaurant awarded in the Oxfordshire Restaurant Awards 2011 - 2013
Majliss is run by veteran restauranteurs from the Sylhet region of Bangladesh. The decor is stunning and contemporary, and the food delicious. Lively and great for groups, but perfect for romantic nights out as well. Take advantage of our takeaway service, too.
110 Cowley Road, Oxford OX4 1JE Tel: 01865 726728 Web: www.majliss.co.uk
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Oxfordshire Restaurants Modern Art Oxford Café Bar
30 Pembroke Street, Oxford OX1 1BP. Tel: 01865 722733. Web: www.modernartoxford.org.uk/about-us/cafe-and-bar/ Modern Art Oxford’s new Café Bar has been designed to perk you up whatever the time of day. Our coffee is supplied and selected by the Monmouth Coffee Company and our wine list compiled by the Oxford Wine Company. We stock a range of local brews including our very own beer Plot 16, grown on our allotment in Rose Hill. Our changing seasonal menu and relaxing atmosphere make an ideal place to meet.
Cafe Loco
The Old Palace, 85/87 St Aldates, Oxford OX1 1RA. Tel: 01865 200959. Web: www.goingloco.com Just two minutes walk from Carfax Tower is Cafe Loco, with such delights as stunning coffee, sumptuous Eggs Benedict, Full English, homemade Specials, Scones, Teacakes and Full Afternoon Tea, it’s a wonder you haven’t been! Introducing NEW business lunch delivery service. For details info@goingloco.com.
Crisis Skylight Cafe 40 George Street, Oxford, OX1 2AQ. Tel: 01865 263 972.
The Oxford Skylight Café is open to the public daily from 9am to 5pm Monday to Saturday. It serves freshly ground coffees, teas and cakes as well as a range of home cooked food prepared from fresh, local produce. There are daily specials (including a vegetarian option) a range of sandwiches, hot pannini's, baked potatoes, fresh salads and the famous fireman's breakfast served all day!
Greens Cafe
50 St Giles, Oxford, OX1 3LU. Tel: 01865 316 878. Web:www.greenscafe.co.uk At Greens everything is freshly made and we use Organic, Free Range and Fairtrade produce. We cater for everyone’s taste including vegetarians, vegans and gluten-free foods. Greens Cafe has a friendly relaxed atmosphere with lots of seating available upstairs with free Wi-Fi also available.
Café Aloha
11 The Square, West Way Shopping Centre, Botley, Oxford, OX2 9LH. Tel: 01865 792696. Web: www.cafealoha.co.uk Traditional and stylish décor provides a mixture of a sophisticated ambience combined with the fantastic food and friendly staff, makes for an eating experience.
French
Pierre Victoire
9 Little Clarendon St, Oxford OX1 2HP. Tel: 01865 316616. Web: www.pierrevictoire.co.uk Enjoy our authentically cooked, traditional dishes in an informal environment at reasonable prices, the way the French do… Choose from a variety of fixed price menus, which we change with the seasons, focusing on local, fresh produce! We offer a 3 course lunch or early Pre Theatre supper for £9.90 and an evening 3 course Prix Fixe for £19.90! We love parties whether its Christenings, Birthdays,Graduations or even Retirements, offer an incredible £18.50 menu, and can cater for groups up to 60 ...! Rustic and friendly, with lots of candles, providing great food, value and service!
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Restaurant awarded in the Oxfordshire Restaurant Awards 2011 - 2013
www.inoxford.com
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Oxfordshire Restaurants Spanish
Al-Andalus
10 Little Clarendon Street, Oxford OX1 2HP. Tel: 01865 516688. Web: www.tapasoxford.co.uk Situated on vibrant, centrally located Little Clarendon Street, Al-Andalus is a stylish and bustling Spanish tapas bar. Independently - owned, it serves delicious, freshly- prepared and authentic Spanish tapas dishes. Open: Mon to Thur 12am-3pm & 5pm till late, Fri-Sun 12pm till late.
Kazbar
25-27 Cowley Rd, Oxford OX4 1HP. Tel: 01865 202920. Web: www.kazbar.co.uk “One of the best tapas bars in Britain” The Observer. “ The range of high quality tapas should be enough to suit most tastes” The Guardian. “Chilled, cheerful, unique.”The Independant. The Kazbar is a tantalizing café-bar with a Moroccan interior, serving Spanish and North African cuisine.
Gastropub
The White Hart
Main Road, Fyfield, Abingdon, Oxon, OX13 5LW. Tel: 01865 390 585. Web: www.whitehart-fyfield.com Where you can enjoy award-winning food, fine wines and local real ales, under the soaring eaves of of a 15th Century Chantry House. The White Hart has held two rosettes for culinary excellence for 4 years running but is still somewhere you can stop and have a pint of real ale after a hard days work.
Italian
La Cucina
39-40 St. Clements, Oxford, OX4 1AB. Tel: 01865 793811. Web: www.lacucinaoxford.co.uk The open kitchen allows customers to see chefs at work, tossing pizza and preparing daily specials from 11am - 10.30pm. The menu changes seasonally and caters for all - families and those looking for an authentic italian dining experience in relaxed surroundings. Open front in Summer months.
Nightlife Angels
Little Clarendon Street, Oxford. OX1 2HS. Tel: 01865 544244. Web: www.angelsbar.co.uk Step into Angels and journey through cocktail history. Choose between the first vintage mixes or new trends perfected in the Angels laboratry, all carefully crafted by our expert bartenders.
Patisserie Gatineau
209 Banbury Road, Summertown, Oxford. OX2 7HQ. Tel: 01865 311 779. Web: www.gatineau.uk.com Situated in the upmarket Summertown area of Oxford, Gatineau patisserie offers the finest artisan produce in the French/ European patisserie and boulangerie tradition: premium cakes, pastries, savouries and bread - all made with the highest quality ingredients, creative flair, taste combinations and attention to detail.
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Restaurant awarded in the Oxfordshire Restaurant Awards 2011 - 2013
www.inoxford.com
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The Meal
The Big Bang £12.49, Sunday Roast £12.49, Cotswold Dark lager £4.00, Valdivieso Sauvignon Blanc (250ml) £6.35, Cheesecake / Chocolate mousse £4.45
2014 Approved
Six Good Points
✓ Atmospheric setting ✓ Extra gravy pot
✓ Generous portions
✓ Extensive inventive beer list
✓ Oxford boar newsletter/menu ✓ Sense of humour throughout 60
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Restaurant Review:
The Big Bang
Reviewed by Matthew Wright
9th February 2014
I paused by the door for a second - it was huge. "I think they call it an Oxford Sausage", whispered Mazz, our hostess. The bright red sportscar parked inside was the first of many idiosyncrasies which make up The Big Bang, nestled in the atmospheric Oxford Castle Quarter, a stone's throw (or well-aimed sausage) from Oxford Castle itself. The sense of humour and quirkiness extend throughout, from the Sausageers (serving staff), to the toilets (Knobs & Knockers), and the newsletter which doubles as a menu - The Oxford Boar. We chuckled as we perused the articles, which ranged from the sonorous (live jazz Tuesday evenings), to the topical ("we're proud to say we pay our taxes‌ so we'd encourage you not to head to the multinationals"), to the altruistic (Max is passionate about showcasing the best in Oxford, using small-scale suppliers wherever possible; e.g. beer from Compass Brewery, vegetables from Springhill Prison Farm, and music from local artists). I decided to be led completely by the menu, so started off with a Cotswold Dark Larger, billed as "the lovechild of Guinness & Peroni", whilst the blonde went for her usual Sauvignon Blanc, "a classic wine which makes this wine list smile a little brighter". Last night had been a heavy one, so a hearty sausage dinner was just the ticket for me, and having been 'dared', I went "a little bit Heston" and mixed up my sausages from the long list available, eventually opting for a traditional Oxford, a Toulouse, and a "spicy bad boy" Merguez lamb sausage. I was a bit disappointed that I couldn't also accommodate the wild boar & pigeon version - "don't even ask - just be brave and try one out", or the "bleedin' hot" piri piri offering, but when my dish arrived, complete with creamy mash, red cabbage, peas, fried onions & gravy, I reckoned I might just have my work cut out as it was. The blonde, true to form, stuck to her tried-and-trusted Sunday Roast, and judging by the appreciative noises, plus the fact she cleared her plate completely, it was pronounced 'very good indeed'. We still managed a cheesecake and chocolate mousse between us, before pronouncing ourselves 'stuffed'. I use the word advisedly, in honour of Max, who is currently sweating his way Down Under, running the Adelaide Festival Restaurant for two months (hence his car parked inside the restaurant) - bonza tucker mate! 42 Oxford Castle Quarter, Oxford OX1 1AY Tel: 01865 249413 Web: www.thebigbangrestaurants.co.uk www.inoxford.com
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The Meal
Tasting menu (£65.00): Kitchen Garden Flavours, Ravioli of Fallowfields own fresh ingredients, Cured Loch Duart Salmon, Hay Smoked Loin of Fallow Buck from Hampshire, Piña Colada Pre Dessert, Lemon, Lime, Vanilla, Pink Grapefruit, Crème Fraiche and Blood Orange, Coffee and Homemade Chocolates and Macaroons. Flight of wines to accompany (£35.00).
2014 Approved
Six Good Points
✓ Atmospheric setting ✓ Extra gravy pot
✓ Generous portions
✓ Extensive inventive beer list
✓ Oxford boar newsletter/menu ✓ Sense of humour throughout 62
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Restaurant Review:
Fallowfields Boutique Country House Hotel
Reviewed by Jade Konz & Steven Sanderson 9th February 2014
I find myself wondering what makes the difference between a great meal and an unforgettable meal. The importance of atmosphere and provenance must not be underestimated. Restaurants that have moved from sourcing local to “hyperlocal” are now on the increase, and I could not be more for it. Restaurateurs using ingredients and produce grown and reared on their own property are setting a new benchmark for the industry by creating a “field to fork” approach. For a customer to see where the ingredients that have made up the beautiful dish in front of them are from is a whole new experience on its own and certainly makes for an unforgettable meal. There is no doubt that Fallowfields restaurant is of an exceptional standard - Last month they were recognised with 3 AA rosettes. What sets Fallowfields apart from other fine dining establishments however is the “family” run atmosphere which has created a comfortable and welcoming setting in which to enjoy fine food and wine, and most importantly their passion for where their produce comes from stands out. Fallowfields achieves a sense of providing your food from right outside the restaurant doors. Matt Weedon, Head Chef, describes his job as a simple one, in which he produces creative dishes inspired by amazing ingredients, most of which come from their own garden and farm. The Tasting Menu began with Garden Flavours - a pre starter of earthy ingredients provided from their kitchen garden that day, including Tamworth pork croquettes reared on their own farm. Wonderful surprises continued throughout the dining experience and included Dexter cows mooing outside the restaurant windows. The ravioli of farm egg yolk was made from fresh eggs laid that morning on the property and the salmon dish came with apples picked from their orchard. Throughout the menu each dish was as tantalizing as the next and the citrus dessert blew us away. Matt’s wife Rachel, who heads up the front of house, delighted us with exceptional quality wines excellently matched with each course, and a fantastic option of a “micro” flight for those who were driving. The highlight was a very unusual Austrian wine paired perfectly with the ravioli! There is no doubt in which direction Fallowfields restaurant is heading, and I do not think anything will be getting in their way so let’s hope the rain and flooding does not ruin their summer garden crops so they can keep using their beautiful ingredients in their inspiring dishes. Faringdon Rd, Abingdon, Oxfordshire OX13 5BH Tel: 01865 820416 Web: www.fallowfields.com www.inoxford.com
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The Meal:
Koliji Puri £5.25, Marathi Lamb Shank Korma £13.25, Butter Chicken £11.95, Salty Lassi £2.95, Pint of Cobra beer £4.10
2014 Approved
Six Good Points
✓ Marathi Lamb Shank Korma – delicate flavouring
✓ Koliji Puri – a really surprising liver dish with intricate flavours
✓ Butter chicken – delicate and delicious
✓ Service – friendly, very helpful and very knowledgeable ✓ Atmosphere – on a Sunday evening it was still half full
✓ Salty Lassi – refreshing, cooling and delicious drink 64
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Restaurant Review:
Qumins
Reviewed by John Hobart
9th February 2014
Many restaurants have a ‘philosophy’ and it is usually about quality, originality and service. Qumins also has a philosophy, and it is all these things, but it adds a more grounded element – a desire to go back to the sub-continent and create dishes that the owner’s parents and grandparents would recognize. This sense of family runs deep at Qumins as it is a family restaurant from the owner to chef, waiters and bar staff. When stepping in off St Clements you get a sense of family, the restaurant is warmly and stylishly decorated, regulars are greeted by name, and first time visitors warmly welcomed and offered a table; while we visited on a Sunday evening it was still half-full with a pleasant buzz. The menu is of a familiar format with the usual range of curries, biryani and tandoori dishes, but as a regular curry-eater I always enjoy exploring the house specialities, and finding out what makes them ‘special’. In the case of Qumins this is where the philosophy of offering genuine Bangladeshi food comes through. Six months ago the menu was overhauled, and the result was the ‘specials’ being dedicated to genuine, traditional dishes cooked as they would have been in Bangladesh. This means the sauces are lighter, the spices more delicate, and the meat cooked slower - in some cases on the bone to add flavour. With some guidance from our waiter we ordered dishes we would never have normally tried: starters of Koliji Puri (stir-fried chicken liver with ginger, garlic, green chili and puri bread) and Chili Paneer (honey and chili glazed paneer cheese), and mains of Marathi Lamb Korma (lamb shank cooked slowly in a creamy onion and cinnamon bark sauce) and Butter Chicken (chicken in a creamy tomato and kasuir methi sauce). Every dish was delicious. Most notable was the delicacy of the spicing – the cinnamon, clove and cardamom all coming through individually while allowing the meat to be the main flavour, be it the lamb that was falling off the bone or the butter chicken in its sauce of reduced tomato. Producing food his grandparents would recognize is the owner Ali Azam’s vision, and at Qumins he is doing this by introducing his guests to a new, older, type of cuisine, and that is something I believe makes his restaurant worth visiting!
86 St Clement's St, Oxford OX4 1AR Tel: 01865 247093 Web: www.qumins.co.uk www.inoxford.com
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The Meal
Tea - £1.80 Cappuccino - £2.35 Fried eggs on toast - £4.50 Poached eggs on toast - £4.50 Eggs Benedict - £6.50
2014 Approved
Six Good Points
✓ Even managed to park nearby ✓ Charming service
✓ Great poached eggs
✓ Sweet Alice in Wonderland art ✓ Lovely big room
✓ Great location 66
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Cafe Review:
Cafe Loco
Reviewed by Dan Channer
26th January 2014
Cafés – remember them? Before the sterile and utilitarian Starbucks and Costa wreaked their particular blend (pun intended) of insipid mediocrity on the country’s High Streets, we had local independent cafés. Some even had some charm and character, and it is easy to forget that they still exist now that everyone from Prêt to McDonalds to Weatherspoon’s is laser-focused on the phenomenal profit margins that satisfying our addiction to caffeine brings. Fortunately, a good, trustworthy independent café is within reach in central Oxford: a place to think, to chat, to relax, to refuel and to start that bestselling novel. Indeed, it is easy to daydream at Café Loco at the bottom of St. Aldates when Christchurch fills the view through the original stone and lead windows and the tea party scene from Alice in Wonderland covers the walls. We went for brunch on a Sunday. The Café is split into two: a small sandwich and cake counter and a very pleasant large room which soon filled up with tables of visiting tourists and city-break couples digesting the Sunday papers. The menu is refreshingly straightforward: baguettes, paninis, bagels, salads and some more substantial favourites like homemade fish cakes, butternut squash risotto and chilli and rice. Prices are reasonable with nothing above £7.95. We opted for the breakfast menu and it all went down a treat – pots of tea and eggs all round. Daughter 1 spilt a whole fried egg down her front and the brilliant waitress delivered another one before the tears had dried. Daughter 2 devoured her egg with no spillage. The wife, being more sophisticated, went for eggs Benedict and pronounced the hollandaise ‘creamy and delicious without being too creamy’. My poached eggs with mushrooms were perfect and a lovely way to start a Sunday. Café Loco was set up nine years ago. The owner says the initial customers were tourists and students as you might expect, but now there are also a healthy number of small businesses located nearby. The Café has a great location as the end point to a Christchurch Meadow walk for a well–earned afternoon tea. Café Loco represents an important part of the retail offer for central Oxford – if all the city has are generic chain outlets, it will lose part of its identity. Let’s hope people keeping seeing sense and eating local and eating independent. 85-87 St Aldates, City Centre, Oxford OX1 1RA Tel: 01865 200959 Web: www.goingloco.com www.inoxford.com
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Oxfordshire Health & Beauty Monica Franke Osteopathy & Pilates Tel: 07970 119721. E-mail: mfranke.osteo@googlemail.com Web: www.monicafranke.com www.frankeosteopathy.tumblr.com
With clinics in Bletchingdon, Abingdon and central Oxford, Monica Franke offers expertise in general osteopathy, sports osteopathy and Pilates, emphasising high standards of communication, diagnosis and treatment. She is recently joined by two associates, Ben Ousey and Angela Power who also offer particular areas of expertise, including sports injuries, cranial osteopathy and mom’s and babies. Franke Osteopathy practitioners enjoy helping people to understand the origin of their aches and strains, and helping them to more pain-free function.
Bare UK
Boars Hill, Oxford, with private parking. Tel: 07773 764817. Web: www.bareuk.co.uk Have you got unwanted hair, leaving you feeling distressed? Well you don’t need to panic any longer, here at Bare UK we specialise in the revolutionary hair reduction method ‘Intense Pulse Light’, a form of laser treatment, designed to remove unwanted hair, so you can now say goodbye to waxing, and hello to smooth skin. After a few treatments with our high grade IPL system you will begin to notice a difference. So visit us at Bare UK today and get rid of those unwanted hairs. Visit www.bareuk.co.uk for further information, or to find out about other treatments.
Diamond House - Dental Practice 199 Banbury Road, Oxford OX2 7AR. Tel: 01865 559521. Web: www.diamondhouse.co.uk
It is our aim to provide the highest quality of Dental Care in a relaxed and friendly environment, with the most up to date methods and equipment available. The safety and comfort of our patients is always our primary concern.
TAO Beauty Salon
1st floor, Above The Globe Newsmarket, 99 St Aldates OX1 1BT. Tel: 01865 249347. Web: www.taobeautyoxford.co.uk Established in 1968, Tao offers a wide range of beauty treatments including Dermalogica, St Tropez Airport, Jessica Nail Care, Microdermabrasion, Non Surgical face lifts, and much more. Open: Monday to Saturday.
Spirit Health Club
Woodstock Rd, Oxford OX2 8JD. Tel: 01865 888444. Web: www.spirithealthclubs.co.uk Feel comfortable and at ease here with a great, social atmosphere and friendly staff as committed to your long term goals as you are. Whether it’s fitness, relaxation or wellbeing, we’ll help you find your true Spirit. See more on our website www.spirithealthclubs.co.uk
The Clinical Exercise and Rehabilitation Unit
Movement Science Group Oxford Brookes University Gipsy Lane, Headington Oxford, OX3 0BP. Tel: 01865 483839.
The Clinical Exercise and Rehabilitation (CLEAR) Unit is a specialist fitness studio designed exclusively for people recovering from illness or who have mobility issues. It is run by experienced clinical exercise scientists at Oxford Brookes University and is a non-profit making unit supported by the University and charitable donations.
YogaVenue
2 Avenue Lane, Oxford, OX4 1YF. Tel: 01865 245 754. Web: www.yogavenue.co.uk We are Oxford’s only purpose built yoga studio offering classes in Hot Yoga and Vinyasa Yoga, situated at the beginning of Cowley Road. YogaVenue was created to provide a dedicated space for students to study and enjoy their Yoga practice. All our classes aim to enhance conscious living and greater fulfilment in life through the practice of Yoga. Qualified and experienced teachers and welcoming staff will support students during their classes and time at YogaVenue.
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Oxfordshire Sports Oxford University Rugby Football Club Jackdaw Lane, Iffley Road, Oxford OX4 1SR. Tel: 01865 432000. Web: www.ourfc.org.uk Fri 14th Mar
Blues v London Welsh
19:15
(H)
All matches take place at the Iffley Road Stadium. For further details please visit our website, www.ourfc.org or email ourfc@sport.ox.ac.uk or call 01865 432000
Oxford United Football Club
The Kassam Stadium, Grenoble Road, Oxford OX4 4XP. Tel: 01865 337533. Web: www.oufc.co.uk Sat 1st Mar
Sat 8th Mar
Tue 11th Mar
Oxford United v Rochdale
Oxford United v Burton Albion Oxford United v Cheltenham
15:00
(A)
15:00
(H)
19:45
(H)
Get Behind The U’s! Save money by booking your tickets before the day of the game.
Frilford Heath Golf Club
Oxford Rd, Frilford Heath, Abingdon OX13 5NW. Tel: 01865 390864. Web: www.frilfordheath.co.uk Frilford Heath is located to the South of Oxford on 500 acres of glorious undulating Heathland and is one of the best venues in the south of England; rarely can a club offer three championship golf courses (Red, Green and Blue) that allow the opportunity to revel in their classical or modern challenge!
Want more detailed information about Sport in Oxford? Just visit inoxford.com Your Guide To The City
www.inoxford.com
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Facilities available
Gymnasium, Indoor Pool, Aerobics Studio, Fitness Centre, Sauna, Steam Rooms, Massage, Beauty Salon/Manicure, Solarium.
2014 Approved
6 things we loved
✓ Quiet, calm and relaxed (post-Christmas) ambience
✓ Excellent range of treatments available
✓ A well-equipped gymnasium
✓ Helpful, friendly and courteous staff ✓ Loved the pool and steam room
✓ Nearby nature reserve and meadow 70
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Leisure Review:
The Oxford Hotel
Health and Leisure Club
Reviewed by Ian Francis
4th January 2014
We stayed at the Oxford Hotel for a post-Christmas weekend leisure stay on the 4th January. We missed the Christmas and New Year festivities and enjoyed a calm and relaxing stay, making full use of the Health and Leisure facilities on offer. The Hotel boasts a health and leisure club that is available to both hotel guests and to private members. The ambience in the health and leisure club was relaxed and informal and staff were approachable and personable. This small health club had none of the feel of the large impersonal facilities that often feature in big corporate organisations. The pool is small but delightful and unusually shaped and I was pleased to discover that there was both a steam room and a sauna as my preference is definitely the hydrating effect of the steam room. We used the gym, which was well equipped with high spec. equipment offering a full range of cardiovascular machines and strength and resistance training equipment. For those who like to tune into their favourite programme for company during the long miles on the treadmill there were several TV screens. Included in the health and leisure facility are the Beauty Rooms. There is a good selection of treatments available for men and women using Decleor therapeutic skincare products. Disappointingly for my wife, there were no appointments available during our stay which is testament to the demand and popularity of the Beauty Rooms. She will definitely be returning to the tranquil surroundings for a treatment in the future. Walking and jogging routes are available for those wishing to leave the treadmill behind and venture outside. The River Thames is close by and if you walk just a quarter of a mile you will find yourself in the village of Wolvercote where you can wander around the nature reserve and Port Meadow, or visit one of two local pubs. The Trout, which was famously used as a location in an episode of Inspector Morse, nestles on the bank of the river Thames with a spectacular weir in full view. Godstow Rd, Oxford OX2 8AL Tel: 01865 489988 Web: www.pumahotels.co.uk www.inoxford.com
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Upcoming Classes
• Journey to Lotus; Opening hips and crossing the feet Part 2 with Alessandro G Date: Mar 8th • Hot Yoga Advanced Class with Heidi M Date: Mar 15th
• FLY Class with Alessandro G Date: Mar 29th
2014 Approved
Six Good Points
✓ A lovely warm welcome
✓ Fantastic atmosphere
✓ Variety of classes available ✓ Positive encouragement
✓ Location is ideal
✓ Dedicated facility 72
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Health & Leisure Review
Yoga Venue
Reviewed by Katy Dyer
20th January 2014
YogaVenue is conveniently situated just behind Tesco Metro off the Cowley Road. Easy to find, on arrival I was welcomed warmly to the studios and asked about my previous yoga experience (a bit - on and off over the past twenty years) and completed a questionnaire about my current health and fitness. I was introduced to Helena, the instructor for the evening’s class who explained what to expect and what to take in (I needed a yoga mat, towel and water). Having been shown the changing facilities, I left my bags and headed up to the studio on the first floor. Just like a dance studio, a quiet environment – but certainly hot! I had been recommended to take the “Hot Yoga” class – and they weren’t kidding – it really was hot, at around 40 degrees C. The class started prompt at 7.30pm and Helena suggested that I follow the moves the rest of the class (of about 20 – male, female, all ages) and just take a rest if I felt I needed to – and not to “bust a gut throwing all my moves in the first half hour”! Helena’s instruction was clear, motivating and she clearly knew her yoga and acknowledged the different abilities of the people in the room. The class was then taken through warm-up postures and then a series of moves in succession to improve strength and flexibility. Practicing yoga in the heat has the effect of warming up the body to carry out the stretches safely and help with detoxification. Even though this was my first ever experience of a Hot Yoga class, I did not feel pressure to try to get into postures that were beyond my ability and the ninety minute class went surprisingly quickly, and whilst at times I felt the heat was getting a little too much for me, with Helena’s encouragement I finished the class to the end which felt great. YogaVenue is a dedicated and welcoming space for yoga and has a relaxing yet inspiring feel which fits its purpose wonderfully and the team are welltrained and approachable. You can drop in for a class and YogaVenue also offer class packages including a 14 day introductory offer which permits you to go to a class daily for the duration. It has certainly inspired me to get back into yoga!
2 Avenue Lane, Cowley Road, Oxford OX4 1YF Tel: 01865 245754 Web: www.yogavenue.co.uk www.inoxford.com
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Spa Harmony & Serenity:
Revitalise, rejuvenate and relax at one of Macdonald Hotels' 24 spa sanctuaries across the UK. We do our utmost to maximise the enjoyment of your stay, which is why we provide you with access to an array of luxurious spa treatments for a whole host of occasions, from relaxing spa breaks to luxury hen weekends.
2014 Approved
Six Good Points
✓ A sense of occasion every time you walk through the door
✓ Contrast between busy Five Star hotel and the calm of the spa ✓ Every member of staff welcomed me with a smile
✓ Elemis product – sublime!!!!
✓ The spa experience – treat yourself. I know I will!
✓ The relaxing atmosphere of the Spa 74
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Spa Review:
Randolph Spa
Review by Tina Rosser
30th January 2014
They call it Five Star for a reason. Every time I walk through the doors of The Randolph, Oxfordshire’s only Five Star hotel, I get a lift. The doorman welcomes me with a smile and I’m already walking on air. The lobby is busy. I negotiate a mix of businessmen, tourists and smartly dressed staff as I make my way to the steps of the spa. The hustle and bustle of the reception is contrasted by the calm and tranquillity of the spa, located underneath the hotel. The invigorating scent of Elemis product filled the air and as I exited the changing rooms I was full of anticipation. The build up to my treatment had been an experience in itself. Prior to your treatment there is a relaxation room to make sure you’re completely stress free, with four relaxing beds, each with their own throws and cushions, plus a table offering water and some light reading. And for those of you detoxing, hot water is available too. My treatment room is full of heavenly scent, subdued lighting and soothing music. As I lay face down on the warm massage bed I instantly felt calm and ready for my Macdonald Signature Treatment. This treatment offers a sensory experience, which promises to leave you walking on cloud nine – I wasn’t that far off when I got on the bed! A deep tissue back massage that will relieve tension, stress and aching muscles combined with a prescribed Power Booster Anti-Aging facial and completed with a Sole Delight Foot Treatment that will nourish and condition the feet and nails. All the products used at the Randolph Spa are Elemis and they really do deliver. The massage lasted 90 minutes, with the focus moving from my legs to my back, legs again, then arms, chest and scalp. I had drifted into a state of complete relaxation. A gently ringing bell signaled the end of my heavenly experience. I couldn’t believe where the time had gone. I would highly recommend this treatment; my skin felt soft to the touch. I’ve never used Elemis products before but will certainly use them again, and the Spa offers a wide range of Elemis products on sale. The Randolph Spa offers various treatments and consists of three variations of sauna, jacuzzi and ice room. It’s definitely worth a visit. Check out the Spa package experiences; treat yourself or a loved one to something really special. There is a treatment for everyone, including various facials and massages for men. Beaumont St, Oxford OX1 2LN Tel: 01865 256400 Web: www.macdonaldhotels.co.uk www.inoxford.com
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Oxfordshire Services Photography
Willow and Pea Portraits
6 Park Street, Woodstock, Oxfordshire OX20 1SP. Tel: 01993 358725. Web: www.willowandpea.co.uk Willow and Pea Portraits creates lifestyle and wedding imagery based from our charming family orientated studio nestled in the heart of Woodstock, Oxfordshire. With our patience, experience and expertise we ensure that each and every client has a personal story capturing the impromptu moments and natural expressions throughout your shoot.
Care Home
The Lady Nuffield Home
165 Banbury Road, Oxford OX2 7AW. Tel: 01865 888500. Web: www.ladynuffieldhome.co.uk A small residential care home for the older person, conveniently situated in Summertown. Close to shops, local medical centres and on the main bus route.
Audio & Visual
City Audio Visual
Unit 19, Kingsmeadow, Ferry Hinksey Rd, Oxford OX2 0DP. Tel: 01865 722800. Web: www.cityav.co.uk Oxford’s leading specialists in audio visual hire, sales, installation and live event support. From Projector hire and AV Support to installation of a bespoke audio visual presentation system, we pride ourselves in offering a quality driven professional service with a personal touch.
Male Hairdressing H.I.M
66 St.Clements, Oxford, OX4 1AH. Tel: 01865 249 740. Web: www.himoxford.co.uk H.I.M is all about quality hairdressing in a relaxed and friendly environment. The H.I.M team is young and friendly with many years experince in the trade. We focus on our clients as individuals and deliver a high quality service at a reasonable price. New customers are always welcome in the H.I.M salon which provides a modern setting and a friendly atmosphere.
Framing
Isis Creative Framing
2 Northampton Rd, Oxford OX1 4TG. Tel: 01865 203420. Web: www.isiscreative.co.uk We are a large, busy, workshop-style business, where you can see all the work being done on the premises. While being a large business brings great customer benefits we retain our small company roots with exceptional customer service based on old-time values, quality and value for money. Our roots go back to the 1970’s as a small family-run Picture Framing business to the successful company we are today.
Construction Savvy
253 London Road Headington Oxford OX3 9EH. Tel: 01865 920020. Web: www.group-savvy.co.uk Savvy works in a wide range of properties including domestic, leisure, educational and commercial, as well as Oxfordshire’s leading businesses that entrust Savvy with beautiful historic buildings. We take great pride in our work and, by working hand in hand with our clients, Savvy has earned a reputation as one of Oxford’s most reliable, trusted and helpful building companies.
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Excel Dry Cleaners 274 Banbury Road, Oxford. Tel: 01865 511773. Oxford’s specialist Dry Cleaners, experts in cleaning all delicate items including silks to wedding dresses. Full repair and alteration service.
All our work is covered by the NICEIC 6 year insurance backed warranty
01793 526003 07766 238814 info@cs-elec.co.uk www.cs-elec.co.uk
t m e w
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Oxfordshire Services Property
Witney Business & Innovation Centre Windrush Industrial Park, Burford Road, Witney, OX29 7DX. Tel: 01993 848200. Web: www.witney-bic.co.uk
Witney Business and Innovation Centre provides flexible, serviced office space, virtual offices and meeting rooms in a professional serviced environment, allowing you to focus on running your business. The centre is a brand new facility in a refurbished building on the outskirts of Witney. Offices vary from 100 sq ft to 3,000 sq ft, which can accommodate between 1 and 30 people. Multiple offices can also be taken if more space is required.
Oxford Centre for Innovation New Road, Oxford, Oxfordshire OX1 1BY. Tel 01865 261400 Web: www.ocfi.co.uk
Oxford Centre for Innovation, in Oxford, provides flexible office space, virtual offices and meeting rooms in a professional serviced environment, allowing you to focus on running your business. Companies love the supportive community within the centre, which is enhanced by a range of specialist business support through our Oxfordshire regional director and other local partners. It really is the ideal place to base your business.
Strutt & Parker
269 Banbury Road Oxford OX2 7LL. Tel: 01865 366660. Web: www.struttandparker.com A stylish modern office, located in a prominent location on the Banbury Road to the north of the city. As a multi-disciplined office, we have an outstanding team of property professionals able to deal with matters as diverse as the sale of an Oxford town house to the re-organisation of a rural estate or the planning and development of a new settlement.
Breckon & Breckon
274 Banbury Rd, Oxford OX2 7DY. Tel: 01865 310300. Web: www.breckon.co.uk An independent firm of Estate Agents est. in 1947 operating from a network of six offices in Oxfordshire offering properties for sale or for rent. We are property professionals with many years of experience in the local market.
Charities
CLIC Sargent
108-110 London Rd, Oxford, OX3 9AW Tel:01865 767056 Web: www.clicsargent.org.uk CLIC Sargent is the UK’s leading cancer charity for children and young people, and their families. We provide clinical, practical, financial and emotional support to help them cope with cancer and get the most out of life. We are there from diagnosis onwards and aim to help the whole family deal with the impact of cancer and its treatment, life after treatment and, in some cases, bereavement.
Leukaemia Research
Twitter: twitter.com/beatbloodcancer Web: www.leukaemialymphomaresearch.org.uk We are Leukaemia & Lymphoma Research, your UK blood cancer charity. Every year we stop more people dying of blood cancer and our researchers are even working to stop people developing blood cancer in the first place. We improve the lives of blood cancer patients with cancers such as leukaemia, lymphoma and myeloma because we believe everyone should be able to live their life to the full.
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Thinking about your next holiday?
To arrange your dream holiday contact David and his team at Great Experience Travel on 01993 627713. Or drop in to see them at Unit 6-7, Waterloo Walk, High St, Witney, OX28 6EU.
2014 Approved
With more than 75 years’ experience between David and his main staff team, they are proud of their reputation for providing their clients with excellent service and outstanding advice based on their first-hand knowledge of many destinations and different types of holiday. David, the MD and owner, is a former ski-instructor who has skied all over the world, and has travelled extensively for business and pleasure throughout Europe, Asia, Australia, New Zealand, Southern Africa, the USA and Canada. Agency Manager, Mandy, is an expert on many tropical destinations, especially the Maldives and Mauritius, and is a specialist for cruise holidays; and Senior Travel Consultant, Anne, is fantastic at finding late deals to the traditionally popular holiday destinations, along with city breaks and holidays around the UK. When you book your holiday with them, you can be assured that they are all using their years in the business to make sure that your travel experience with them is always a great one. 80
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Travel Article:
Our ‘Great Travel Experience’
Reviewed by Richard & Veronica Kelly
Summer 2013
David and his team at Great Travel Experience assisted us to put together our memorable 3-week holiday in California last Summer. After a direct Virgin Atlantic flight to San Francisco we spent a very comfortable three days at the Omni Hotel which was an excellent spring board for walking to such places as Fisherman's Wharf and catching the ‘hop on hop off’ bus which tours the whole city and includes a ride over the Golden Gate bridge which was quite an experience. After collecting our hire car we travelled the 180 miles to Yosemite National Park where our home for three nights was a cottage in the woods annexed to a large lodge/hotel. We just loved everything about this vast National Park. The scenery can only be described as stunning; the forests, mountains and waterfalls are jaw dropping. Our only disappointment was that we didn’t see any bears although we had been instructed as to how to behave it we did [Don’t run – just stand on tip toes and pretend to frighten THEM!]. Next was a drive back to the coast and a two night stay in Santa Cruz, a surfer's paradise. The long board walk is a big feature where we spent the evenings in interesting bars and restaurants. Then we continued along the Pacific Highway One, which hugs the coast to Carmel and the famous 17 mile Pebble Beach Drive. Worth every dollar of the fee, it is magical. We made our way to uptown Carmel with it’s fabulous streets lined with smart restaurants and shops to die for. The Carmel Mission was certainly worth a visit housing Indian artefacts from bygone years. We ate at the Hogs Breath and Mission Ranch, both owned by Clint Eastwood who we had hoped to see but apparently at that time he was in LA making another film. He must be sorry to have missed us. Having skirted around Los Angeles our last stop was the vibrant city of San Diego. We visited Coronado, the fabulous beaches and hotel where 'Some Like it Hot' was filmed, the row upon row of fine mansions, museums and we enjoyed a ‘voyage’ around the famous harbour where the US Navy has a major presence. Spending breakfast in the sunny garden where humming birds hovered close by before exploring the shopping malls was something we could have easily got used to. Our American experience with no hitches or problems was truly unforgettable and we have much to thanks the guys at Great Experience Travel for. Unit 6-7, Waterloo Walk, High St, Witney, OX28 6EU Tel: 01993 627713 Email: info@greatexperiencetravel.co.uk Web: www.greatexperiencetravel.co.uk www.inoxford.com
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Some of our other centres:
Bicester Innovation Centre, Cherwell Innovation Centre, Culham Innovation Centre, Harwell Innovation Centre, Witney Business and Innovation Centre, Bracknell Enterprise and Innovation Hub, Glory Park Business Centre.
2014 Approved
Six Good Points
✓ Prime location, excellent transport links and parking
✓ Fully-serviced office space suitable for 1 to 30 employees ✓ Virtual offices
✓ Meeting rooms
✓ High-speed broadband
✓ Receptionists offering a professional front of house service
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Business Interview:
Oxford Innovation
Interview by Matt Wright
30th January 2014
Oxford Centre for Innovation is managed by Oxford Innovation as part of a network of 21 centres across the UK. The centre currently houses 33 companies in an area of 19,500 sq ft, spread over 5 floors. However, providing office space is only part of what OCFI does - it is much more about creating the right environment for small and medium businesses to grow. Matt Wright met with Oxford Innovation's Margaret Hewitt to tell us so more about what they have to offer. What do you think makes your offices unique here at OCFI?
"We like to think that we go far beyond what a ‘normal’ landlord would do. We're a small team here, but with a lot of experience. Everybody knows us –we're all very accessible. By meeting all the companies ourselves before they become tenants in OCFI, we understand their needs, and can respond to their changing requirements, which in the fast-growing knowledge based sector, can change very quickly indeed!" What practical support can a small business expect from OIS?
We help to get start-ups going, helping them along with 1:1 coaching, group workshops, and finance raising. We have a network of like-minded entrepreneurs here at the OCFI, so we aim to put on networking events, seminars, and workshops that are relevant to the companies here. For example, our most recent seminar was from an outside expert on the subject of cloud-based computing. We find people are always keen to obtain exposure to the sort of companies we have here, so there is a lot of outside demand to come and speak here, we're just in the process of finalising our 2014 programme!" You mentioned 1:1 coaching - how can small businesses afford that?
"As you've hopefully seen, OCFI is a great hub, and consequently, if there are grants out there, we hear about them first. There is a network of business coaches, who are all part of the Growth Accelerator service, and Oxford Innovation Ltd helps to match the right coach to the right business. With Government co-investing in the growth of these businesses and making a major contribution towards the overall cost, SMEs pay only a one-off fixed fee." What help can you provide for companies looking to grow not just domestically, but internationally?
"The companies here at OCFI tend to be in fast-growing industries, with lots of export potential. For example, last month Enterprise Europe Network ran a well-attended breakfast meeting, to talk about how companies could access European funding & finance."
New Road, Oxford OX1 1BY Tel: 01865 261400 Web: www.ocfi.co.uk www.inoxford.com
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