July’s general election brought significant victories for the Liberal Democrats in Oxfordshire.
Layla Moran successfully retained her seat of Oxford West and Abingdon.
Freddie Van Mierlo captured the Henley and Thame seat for the Lib Dems, ending a 114-year Conservative hold. He surpassed Caroline Newton of the Conservative Party, who succeeded the long-serving John Howell.
In an impressive outcome, Olly Glover secured the Didcot and Wantage seat for the Lib Dems with 21,793 votes. This result unseated the Conservative Party’s David Johnston, who had held the position since 2019 with 15,560 votes.
Away from politics, August brought further challenges with flooding causing the temporary closure of Waitrose in Wallingford.
In a tragic incident, a man in his 40s was found deceased by a river in Wallingford, confirmed dead at the scene by South Central Ambulance Service and Oxfordshire Fire and Rescue Service. Katharine Keats-Rohan, Liberal Democrat county councillor for Wallingford, expressed sorrow at the rarity and sadness of such an event. “It is a tragedy and especially when it is somebody that isn’t very old,” she remarked.
The driver involved in a crash that resulted in the deaths of three teenagers was charged. Thomas Johnson, 19, of Stainswick Lane, Shrivenham, faced three counts of causing death by dangerous driving.
In September, five teenagers were arrested following an assault on two individuals in Didcot Market Place, which necessitated hospitalization due to head injuries. A mobile phone and a watch were stolen during the incident.
The community mourned the loss of Abingdon United midfielder Jack Badger, who passed away at the age of 24. Oxford United paid tribute to Mr. Badger by holding a minute’s applause during a game against Bristol City.
In October, Lidl disclosed plans for a new supermarket in Wantage, initially set to open in early 2024. However, progress was delayed due to pending planning conditions. A Lidl representative stated: “Timelines are yet to be determined; however, we’ve successfully been working through planning conditions and are aiming to have started on site come the new year.”
Safety concerns with concrete and asbestos led to the closure of a cinema in Abingdon. Abbey Cinema, housed in part of the Guildhall run by the town council, faced these unexpected challenges.
November brought a serious workplace incident at Didcot Railway Centre, where a volunteer was airlifted to hospital with severe injuries after being crushed by machinery. Thames Valley Police later confirmed the worker to be in stable condition.
In Abingdon, a petition prompted the Midget pub off Preston Road to be renamed The Roaring Raindrop, inspired by an MG car from the 1950s aiming to break land speed records.
December saw Storm Darragh impact Oxfordshire with flooded roads and downed trees. Discussions around the future of the derelict Upper Reaches Hotel in Abingdon also progressed, as the hotel, which closed in 2015, remained boarded up. The site’s freehold is owned by Vale of White Horse District Council, with the hotel buildings under a long-term lease dating back to 1969.
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