Oxford Daily Photo

North Oxford Rotary Christmas Appeal

2009-12-14T19:55:00.002Z

Over the next few days you will see around North Oxford members from the North Oxford Rotary Club with there very large Santa Sled with Santa along with Santa's helpers collecting for Vale House in Botley. If you see these guys out and about I hope you can spare a pound or two for Vale House.

The Swan and Castle

2009-12-13T19:33:00.003Z

In January this year I posted a photo of the closed Ha Ha Bar, well this weekend Oxford newest Weatherspoon's pub, The Swan and Castle, opened in the building where it was and it was very busy tonight. The Swan and Castle is across the road from the West Gate Shopping Centre which I am sure will be very popular with the shoppers and all those visiting Oxford.

There is another pub just down the street from this new pub with a similar name, The Castle, don't get these two places mixed up with you are meeting up with friends, you might be a little surprised.

Oxford Castle Christmas Market

2009-12-12T16:00:00.003Z

This year in the grounds of the Oxford Castle there is a Christmas Market which is running till 20th of December. This is Oxford's first Christmas Market and this afternoon it was very busy, which is great to see. I had a nice sausage roll from Max at the Big Bang Restaurant who has a stand at the market selling Mulled Wine and great sausage rolls. The market has a great variety of craft and gift idea's that you don't see in the big chain store, well with a look if you are in the area. The logo for the Christmas Market was done by well know local artist Neil Baldauf-Clark which I think is very good, have a look at the website if you are interested, would make a great Christmas Card.

Christmas Lights In Oxford Area

2009-12-10T22:22:00.003Z

I think it is great when people decorate there gardens and houses for Christmas, and I think that people enjoy putting all that effort in to making sure things look Christmassy. Last year this garden in Banbury Road did not have as many lights, and this year the owner has added a few more lights, well done.

Some people really go to town on Christmas Lights and decoration, which I enjoy, but when do you take them down? You really can not leave them up all year can you? I think the local newspaper should have a competition for the best house in Oxford!!

Borders Closing Down Sale Starts In Oxford

2009-12-08T23:47:00.002Z

As I am sure alot of my readers know, the Borders book store across the nation has gone into administration. As apart of that process the store on Magdelan Street in Oxford is having a massive percentage off sale. I was always under the impression that Borders was a string business attracting alot of well known authors to the store to sign books just after there release, guess I was wrong. What is going to happen to the Starbuck and Paperchase departments??

Sunset Over Oxford

2009-12-07T23:17:00.002Z

The sunset over Oxford at about 1630 this evening, the days are getting shorter now, which I like when it is sunny like this, today it there was a lot more rain about, this photo was taken on Sunday evening, unfortunately I could not post on Sunday, but did not want to waste the shot as I liked it.

Penguin In Marlborough Road

2009-12-05T14:38:00.003Z

Noticed this Penguin in Marlborough Road today, must be global warming, not sure what he was doing in Oxford.

Will Young At The New Theatre Oxford

2009-12-03T23:04:00.003Z

Not the best photo, due to not having the best seats in the house, but this photo was taken at the New Theatre in Oxford at the Will Young concert this evening. Not a real big fan however he was entertaining and know who to told the crowd who loved every minute of his show.

Queen Arrives In Oxford In State Bentley

2009-12-02T16:04:00.002Z

The Queen visited Oxford this morning to look around the new gallery's of the Ashmolean Museum which were opened to the public early last month. As you can imagine the Queen visiting Oxford was a very popular event, and I was unable to get close enough with the crowds for a photo of her, so I had to settle on the motorcade as it drove down St Giles. The Queen come to Oxford from Windsor in her special State Bentley with her standard flying from the roof, there were only two of these Special Bentley's ever made and given to the Queen in 2002 for her Golden Jubilee.

Ice Sculpturs At Oxford Castle

2009-12-01T22:11:00.003Z

A couple of days ago at the start of the Christmas Celebrations for Oxford there was an Ice Sculptor putting on a great demonstration within the Oxford Caste area. Once he had finished a sculpture he would put it on display and then start work on the next. Luckily for us public it was fairly chilly that night and they did not melt too fast and we could see the great skill involved in making these great objects.

Editor Of The Oxford Chronicle

2009-11-30T20:57:00.003Z

I was wondering around the cemetery of Mill Street on Osney today and was amazed at the number of Commonwealth War Graves in the cemetery, which I didn't know we had Commonwealth War Graves so close to the city centre, I knew that there CWG at the cemetery in in Botley but never knew about the ones in Mill Street. One of the graves that I found interesting was in a state of disrepair, lying on the ground if Mr Henry Cuthertson who died in 1903 and was the editor of the Oxford Chronicle. I am sure that the position of Editor of the Oxford Chronicle would have been well respected in 1903 and it is a shame that a person who had this position with in the local community is now resting in a grave that is not in the condition that you would expect. Very concerning, and a little disappointing.

Found information to say that the Oxford Chronicle was produced on the High Street where Ede and Ravenscroft, England's oldest tailors, are today, at 119 High Street, see here. So I am sure Henry Cuthertson would have been familiar with this building.

YHA Oxford - Very Convenient

2009-11-28T20:20:00.005Z

If you are looking for cheap centrally located hostel in Oxford, you can not beat the YHA in Oxford. It is just off the Botley Road, behind the Train Station about a five minute walk from the city centre. This hostel can be a bit sterile, but then I think most YHA are like this now days compared to a few independent ones that I have stayed in, little more knocked around the edges..

Christmas Lights and Street Party

2009-11-27T21:58:00.005Z

Roasted Chestnuts were very popular at the Winter/Christmas Lights Celebrations in Broad Street tonight. There was lots of activity in the city centre this evening to support this event with many of the city's museums and art galleries staying open later to take part in this event. More events have been planned leading up to Christmas.

Randolph Flag Poles Update

2009-11-26T18:50:00.004Z

I love flags, and have a nice collection of flags from countries that I have visited. I look out for flags where ever I am, and noticed today that Oxford's premier Hotel, The Randolph Hotel was having it's three flag poles maintained which included a new lick of paint. The hotel normally fly's two Union Flags, with the company flag from these poles, but from time to time you see the country of a visiting dignitary flying from the centre pole.

Break In The Weather At Head Of The River

2009-11-24T23:05:00.002Z

We have been having rubbish weather in Oxford and the UK in general this last couple of weeks, but for about 30 minutes this morning there was a little bit of blue sky, not much, but enough for a photograph of one of Oxford's must see pubs, The Head Of The River. The River Thames is looking muddy!!

Wet Rainy Sunday At The Playhouse Oxford

2009-11-22T15:00:00.004Z

Not sure where you go on a wet rainy Sunday in late November in Oxford, I think I would like to stay warm at home. Noticed these girls having a coffee break in the door way, trying to stay dry from the rain on Beaumont Street next to the Playhouse. They seam happy to be having a cigarette away from work, even if the environment was cold and wet.

Windy Autumn Oxford

2009-11-18T22:47:00.003Z

This morning it was very windy in Oxford which made riding your bike just that little bit harder, this guy on the Botley Road had the normal traffic to navigate on top of all that wind. Like the Oxford City and University COA on the Botley Bridge over the Thames.

The Last Bookshop St Aldate's

2009-11-16T09:30:00.002Z

New shop has opened in what was Touchwoods a few years back, it has been empty for a couple of years. Noticed this shop this morning, The Last Bookshop which is selling all it's books for £2 each. Not sure how long it has been open as I don't get down this way that often but it was busy this morning, mainly with browsers I think.

Mallard Drake Near Botley Road

2009-11-15T14:35:00.002Z

Out for a walk this morning, great day for a walk along the River compared to yesterday, when I spotted this Mallard, who wanted his photo taken. There was a group of Mallards on the bank of the Thames and I wanted to get a photo of a couple, but this one came real close to me, and was happy to have his photo taken. Have a nice Sunday, and get out and enjoy the rest of the day.

Bright Umbrella On Grey Day

2009-11-14T15:53:00.002Z

What a horrible start to the weekend? The weather in Oxford has been very windy and rainy all day. If the weather is going to be miserable you might as well have a nice bright happy umbrella to keep it way from you, like this lady visiting the newly reopened Ashmolean Museum.

Ill Today

2009-11-13T23:09:00.001Z

Not the best photo today, but I have only been out of the house for a few hours, and that was manly to visit my Doctor on Beaumont Street. I like the brass nameplates on the entry to professional offices, Dr Silvester's could do with a polish. Think the rest of the weekend will be spent in doors.

Paula's 22 Years On Walton Street

2009-11-11T20:06:00.001Z

Paula starting another day at Walton Street Stationers but not this is not just another day it is her 22nd year at the store on Walton Street. Paula said that she has seen alot of changes in her 22 years at the store, the biggest being the closing of the Radcliffe Infirmary across the road. This has slowed trade down a little but the with the redevelopment of the site by the university Paula is confident Walton Street will be back to it's busy self. Congratulations Paula on 22 years employment at Walton Street Stationers and Post Office.

Ha Ha Bar Oxford Demolition

2009-11-10T20:23:00.003Z

Work has started to gut the inside of the Ha Ha Bar in the city centre. I have just seen a notice on the window to say that WD Weatherspoon's have made application to turn this space into a WD Weatherspoon's named The Swan and Castle? The application is requesting an opening time of 9am and people can make comments to the licensing officer by the start of December.

It has been nearly a year since my post the day after the close of the Ha Ha Bar in January.

This Lorry On Side At Kennington Roundabout

2009-11-09T19:18:00.003Z

Just after 7am this morning I managed to snap this shot while heading into Oxford at the Kennington Roundabout, I didn't know that it would be still there 11 hours later when I was trying to get out of Oxford. This lorry had car parts on it I heard from the radio reports updating motorist, a few phoned in to say that this accident had added 2 hours to there journeys and the A34 was a mess. How come it takes so long to clear up a mess like this?

Shopping In Queen Street

2009-11-07T14:18:00.003Z

Queen Street has be revamped over the last few months to make it a little more pedestrian friendly, to do this the council has widened and replaced the footpaths each side and removed a couple of the bus stops at the High Street end. I think the traders would be happy with this improvement has it makes navigating this busy street a little easier for everyone. Busy in Queen Street today, even with the country still in recession.