January:
January was kicked off by a colourful Chinese New Year festival at Garth Park, attended by then mayor Alex Thrupp.
Crowds gathered to watch dancing dragons, beating drums and delicately crafted lanterns, as well as a lady clad in purple robes performing a traditional Chinese dance.
The event’s donations went to Mr Thrupp’s chosen charities, Nai’s House, Causeway Carers and Bicester and Heyford Veterans.
January also marked the beginning of investigation work into the transformation of Banbury Road into a new junction.
The multimillion-pound scheme will result in the roundabout becoming a signalised crossroads with an incorporated orthodox Dutch design, which moves cyclists in front of vehicles at an intersection, making it safer for those on bikes.
February:
This month saw Cherwell District Council pass a motion put forward by councillors Chris Pruden and Gemma Coton to keep London Road crossing open.
The motion was brought forward as East West Rail was preparing to bid to ministers at the Department for Transport and Treasury for the permission and funding to proceed with plans to complete the line.
At the time, Mr Pruden said: “We have got four months to keep London Road open.
"It is good news that the council supports the effort to find a real solution to London Road and to ensure the people of Bicester do not get cut off from town.”
February also brought a new Starbucks to the old cafe area, upstairs in Sainsbury’s at Pioneer Square.
A spokesman for Starbucks said: “We look forward to bringing the Starbucks Experience to customers in Bicester in the near future and will be in touch once we have more specific plans to share.”
And there was a knifepoint robbery at Bicester Village where a teenager's £600 coat and £500 in cash was stolen.
Reece Gordon, 27, of Harrow, was later found guilty of robbery at Oxford Crown Court and was jailed for four years.
March:
Plans to transform Bicester Market Square into a multi-use community hub were given a boost by the news that a £4.25 million funding pot was formally approved.
The funding meant Cherwell District Council could move to the next stages of consultation and design work for the town centre regeneration project.
Ian Corkin, who was then deputy leader of the council and portfolio holder for regeneration and economy, said: “I am absolutely relieved and delighted in equal measure the budget has been approved for this regeneration project.”
Award-winning gin distillery Sky Wave Gin launched a bespoke bar at Bicester Heritage, which opened to the public on Friday and Saturday evenings.
A regular array of original and classic cocktails is on offer, as well a full range of seven premium gins, along with select beers and bubbles.
April:
Angry self-builders at Graven Hill called for a “return to the original vision” in an open letter to Cherwell District Council.
In the letter, householders accused the council and its private development company, Graven Hill Village Development Company, of allowing the site to become “just another volume build development of energy inefficient, identikit houses”.
The council responded by saying Graven Hill is a “unique development that has allowed for diversity in the local housing market”.
Councillors on Cherwell District Council’s planning committee voted 11 to five in favour of Value Retail’s development proposal, which will see land north and south of Pingle Drive redeveloped to provide a new public park, a car and cycle hub and additional guest services for Bicester Village.
The proposal made by the owner of Bicester Village raised many concerns for the public, particularly with regards to Oxford Road Sports Ground, which the new development will build over.
May:
Thames Valley Police’s purpose-built forensics centre was given planning permission despite some of the public’s concerns over privacy.
The centre, which is being built on land southwest of Avonbury Business Park, Howes Lane, will become the main forensics hub for Thames Valley Police, containing laboratories, new digital technologies and dedicated training facilities.
Elsewhere, the Conservative party retook control of Cherwell District Council just weeks after losing its majority.
It came after the Labour party decided to pull out of plans to form a coalition with the Progressive Oxfordshire Group.
June:
It was announced that historic hotel and pub The Kings Arms Hotel would be holding a reopening party, after new owners took over earlier in the year.
The front terrace got a makeover, including new tables and chairs, umbrellas and wind breakers. The venue was also repainted in its original cream and black colours.
A spokesperson for the pub said: “We are thrilled to be operating such a wonderful site, and we’re very excited about the opening.”
St Edburg’s CE Primary School began its £12 million expansion, with the aim of increasing its pupil places by 50 per cent.
Due to the significant increase in housing around Kingsmere in recent years, the number of pupils attending the school had increased from 160 in January 2016, to 420 in September 2022.
July:
Property developer Bicester Motion was called out by The Countryside Charity when it submitted a retrospective planning application for the change of use of land to allow for aviation, vehicle exercising and other uses and events on its site.
The charity questioned why the heritage organisation was allowed to submit the application 10 years after it started using the site.
Bicester Motion said due regard had been given to any potential impacts of the ongoing use of the site, through reporting included with the application.
In a unanimous vote the council’s planning committee refused the outline planning application to build a 147-home development in Chesterton.
Speaking at the meeting, councillor Barry Wood, leader of the Conservative group, said: “It is not hard to figure this one out.
"This is too big for that community.”
As well as the homes, the failed plans would have seen a recreational playing field area, sports pitches and associated car parking built to the land south of Green Lane.
August:
Family-run coach company Heyfordian Travel – which had been operating for more than 75 years – closed its doors.
The business ceased suddenly, citing factors such as rising costs and a shortage of drivers.
The company was founded in Bicester in 1947 and specialised in luxury group travel around the UK.
Fears over the death of the high street began to surface after it was announced that both WHSmith and Wilko would be closing their doors.
It was later found out that Wilko would become a Poundland store.
September:
The new Graven Hill primary school welcomed its first pupils a week after construction was completed a week before.
The two-form entry school has a capacity for 420 pupils, but day one saw 13 reception children and 27 pre-school children attend.
There are 12 classrooms, specialist facilities for art, design and technology and more than 13,000 square metres of pitches, play and multi-use games areas.
Alice and Adam Robinson, a husband-and-wife team who live in the Kingsmere Estate, were “absolutely blown away” when gardener and broadcaster Alan Titchmarsh turned up to film for ITV’s Love Your Garden.
The couple were first approached by a TV researcher in late 2021, after having only been living in Bicester for 18 months, and told they had been nominated for a programme.
October:
Amelia Francis, a woman living next to the Premier Inn in the Kingsmere Estate said she didn’t want to live in her house anymore after her kids were exposed to multiple sex acts in the hotel windows.
She claimed her family had been plagued by the unnecessary views since the hotel underwent a 56-room extension, a proposal which was approved in 2018 and completed in 2019.
Homeowners in Bucknell raised their concerns after a newly published draft local plan proposed thousands of extra houses to be built near the ecotown in North West Bicester.
Villagers feared the development would lead to their rural setting being “consumed by urbanisation”.
One of the villagers, Sally Ross, who’s married to Bargain Hunt presenter Charlie Ross, printed off 6,000 flyers which were handed out to people in the area.
November:
Community organisation Weston SOS Limited raised more than £20,000 in an effort to save the Weston Pantry Shop and Post Office from closing down.
The organisation was on a mission to raise a minimum of £105,000 to purchase the freehold.
The initiative started after a village meeting where the prospect of losing the shop was raised, following the owner’s decision to step down.
Burial space issues were raised again after Linda Burn, who was born in Bicester, was unable to bury her brother Geoffrey Hanks in the town despite the rest of their family being buried there.
Mrs Burn instead had to bury her brother in Kidlington, and said she couldn’t bring herself to attend the committal because “he shouldn’t be there”.
December:
The traders of Bicester shared their high expectations ahead of a busy Christmas period and a councillor said it is vital to encourage shoppers from outside the town.
The Nightingale pub said it had nearly 800 Christmas dinners booked in over the whole festive period, while Aly Clifton, who owns Bicester Bean Coffee Shop and Cafe, said “life is bonkers with Christmas catering and my famous Christmas afternoon teas”.
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