News

The Digital Voice landline phone service switchover programme

It is likely that everyone with a home landline phone which uses the existing analogue network will be switched by their service provider to a digital landline phone service using the broadband network sometime during the period 2025-27. This is called the Digital Voice programme.

Offcom advise that BT has taken the decision to retire its analogue network by January 2027 and this means other providers that use BT’s network must follow the same timescale. Other companies with their own networks such as Virgin Media plan follow a similar timescale.

The Neighbourhood Watch organisation in co-operation with BT are running local information events for the public to spread awareness of the forthcoming change and to provide information about what it will mean for BT landline users. There is an event to be held in Chipping Norton Library, Goddards Lane, Chipping Norton OX7 5NP on Tuesday, 18 March from 10.00 a.m. to 1.00 p.m. There is no need to book a place and anyone is invited to drop in.

BT say that vulnerable customers will not start being switched until at least Autumn 2025 and will be given special attention. This includes people with no mobile phone signal, people with additional needs, people with healthcare pendants or alarms, elderly people and landline only customers (i.e. customers with no broadband service)

Generally the BT message is that “the landline is not going away – it is just being upgraded”.. There will be special arrangements for customers who do not have or do not want broadband. BT say that no-one will be left disconnected.

All Together In Charlbury (ATIC) has been in touch with Neighbourhood Watch and is aiming to obtain as much information as possible about what Digital Voice will mean for landline users in Charlbury, so that we can make it available as far as we can.

Meryl Smith · Sat 15 Mar, 13:39 · Link

The Playing Close through the centuries

Today the Playing Close is a well-kept, tranquil green space surrounded by trees in the centre of the town, mostly used for recreation. It has been an important part of Charlbury life for hundreds of years but was a very different place in the past. If you had visited in the 1800s you would have found a noisy place on which people had built hovels, dug sawpits, dumped dung heaps and traded animals. It sat on the edge of town with fields stretching away up what is now Wychwood Paddocks and beyond.

Many of the houses you see around the Playing Close today were already there but one was a working farm, others occupied by working craftsmen. The town lock-up was in one corner in a building that later housed the town’s fire engine. The British School was expanding along one side, offering a basic education to the poorer children of the town.

The museum’s exhibition this year explores its history, how the Close was gifted to the town in 1592, the stories of the houses which surround it, and the lives of the people who used it.

We re-open on Saturday 5th April at 10.30am. Our opening hours are

Saturdays 10.30-12.30am

Sundays & Bank Holidays 2.30-4.30pm.

We look forward to seeing you!

Judy Dod · Fri 14 Mar, 18:18 · Link

" Kipps " the Musical "Flash, bang, wallop, what a picture"

Some of CADS members will be performing alongside the Chipping Norton Operatic Society ( CHAOS) in their latest show “ Kipps “ the New Half a Sixpence Musical at the Chipping Norton Theatre, starting on Thursday 3rd April, Friday 4th and Saturday 5th April with 2 performances on the Saturday.

Kipps has some of the most memorable songs in it such as –

Half a sixpence

Look a live

Money to burn

A proper gentleman

If the rains got to fall

We'll Build a Palace / I Only Want a Little House

Pick out a simple tune

And of course “Flash Bang Wallop” along with many others you are in for a great toe tapping show.

Kipps is the Story of A Simple Soul, this musical tells the tale of the changing fortunes of Arthur Kipps, an orphan and draper's assistant at Shalford’s Bazaar in Folkestone, Kent at the turn of the twentieth century. Kipps is an easy-going working-class lad, who is happiest with his banjo. However, when he unexpectedly inherits a fortune from an estranged grandfather, he is suddenly propelled into high society. He catches the eye of Helen Walsingham and her money-grabbing family, who are desperate to restore their family fortune. His childhood sweetheart, Ann Pornick, is forced to watch helplessly as Helen attempts to transform Kipps into perfect husband material. Both young women undoubtedly love Kipps in their own ways but by the time he makes up his mind which one he wants, it may be too late. When he loses his money (thanks to the fraudulent behaviour of Helen’s brother, James (played by yours truly), Kipps is reminded of his roots and where his heart truly lies.

Don’t delay “Look a live” and experience the “Joy of the Theatre” with Kipps, Chitterlow and the rest of the CHAOS company by booking your tickets at the

Chipping Norton Theatre box office on 01608 642350

Or www.chippingnortontheatre.com/events/chaos-kipps-the-new-half-a-sixpence-musical#dates-and-times

Ticket prices £19.50, £17.50 matinee (all prices include booking fees)

See you all there and enjoy “A Little Touch of Happiness “

Tim Widdows · Fri 14 Mar, 10:59 · Link

Sean Woodcock MP Monthly Column March 2025

It’s time to take back our town centres from antisocial behaviour and crime. I am proud to say that the Labour Government has announced tough new action in our Crime and Policing Bill.

Too often crime is dismissed as low-level. But it doesn’t feel low level when it’s our town centre in Banbury that is being plagued by antisocial behaviour, our high street facing an epidemic of shoplifting, or your phone being snatched from your grasp.

These types of offences make people stay away from town centres and feel scared on their own streets. For far too long, the last Government wrote off those crimes, and disregarded how they made ordinary people feel.

They ignored the crisis of young people carrying knives, and the epidemic of violence against women and girls.

But this Labour Government is going to change all that. We will restore trust, and reduce serious harm. And our Plan for Change has committed 13,000 additional neighbourhood police and PCSOs across the country.

Our Crime and Policing Bill introduces Respect Orders to crack down on repeat offenders of antisocial behaviour. It gives the police special warrantless powers of entry so premises so they can move fast and take back stolen phones. And it ends the Tories’ ludicrous £200 limit on shoplifting, which has left so much shop theft ignored.

We will crack down on the online sale and delivery of knives, with stringent age checks and tougher penalties for anyone who sells these deadly weapons to children. And we will protect women from stalking and spiking, stop sex offenders changing their names, and impose tougher sentences on dangerous predators who groom children.

I want to leave all my constituents in no doubt. This Bill is ambitious and wide-ranging. We will work with the police and communities to make our streets safer again. We will never write off crimes that make people afraid. And we will take back our town centres from the thieves and thugs.

Sean Woodcock MP · Tue 11 Mar, 15:24 · Link

Corner House and Cornerstone

Charlbury Corner House will close from next week as the builders start their work replacing the windows.

Cornerstone will relocate and open on Monday 10th March in the Green Room, Memorial Hall. This can be accessed by going round the hall to the back and entering straight into the Green Room. Food surplus and the food larder will be available here as well as refreshments and a chat! Do pop in.

Cornerstone will be closed on Saturday 8th March.

We aim to be open from Monday 10th March 10am - 1pm Monday to Saturday but may have slightly different hours depending on any activities that still need to use the Green room.

Hope to see you at Cornerstone.

Cornerstone team

St Marys and All Saints · Fri 7 Mar, 15:54 · Link

Theme for this year's Street Fair is announced!

Charlbury Street Fair 2025  theme will be 'Magic, Myths and Legends'. 

Elisabeth Partington · Fri 7 Mar, 12:23 · Link

Spring Farmers Market is this Saturday, 8 March

For all those residents who support the quarterly farmers market please note that the Spring Market will take place tomorrow, 8 march, on the Playing Close and not 15 March as shown in The Chronicle. Apologies for any confusion - its down to the very early start of March.  Hope to see you there tomorrow. 

Janet Burroughs · Fri 7 Mar, 11:02 · Link

Charlbury Primary Students Read Continuously for 533 Mins on World Book Day!

Today, the students of Charlbury Primary joined in a huge, collective effort to read continuously (and simultaneously) for over 533 minutes (or nearly nine hours)! Children have also been reading extra minutes at home, and this total will rise next week.

The year 6s kicked the day off with a beautiful assembly, sharing their costumes and book recommendations with the other children. Then each class took turns reading and sharing their favourite stories. Students tag-teamed to keep reading going through break time and lunchtime. There were book themed activities. Children also loved hearing from Reverend Fergus from St Mary’s who generously gave his time to listen, and to share his favourite childhood story.

Pupils had a lot of fun and demonstrated courage and flair.

Thank you so much to everyone who has donated so far. If you’d like to support our tenacious Charlbury readers, any amount, little or large is most welcome. Thank you very much!

https://gofund.me/b115b1f2

Jennifer Kidd · Thu 6 Mar, 21:53 · Link

Professor Geoffrey Walton

It is with great sadness that GWP Consultants LLP (GWP) announces the passing of its founder, Professor Geoffrey Walton on 25th February 2025.

Having worked in the Opencast Executive of the National Coal Board, Geoff, at the comparatively young age of 34, established the Geoffrey Walton Practice as an independent consultancy in 1973. He moved to Charlbury in 1976 to be near the Bodleian Library, an important literature resource in pre-internet days. Thereafter, he was a pioneering force in practical mining geology and geotechnical engineering in the extractive industry. He forged collaborative links between business and the leading UK mining schools so as to provide support and direction to new geologists and engineers and to setup spinoff research activities (Dustscan and Blast Log). Geoff’s approach to consultancy was always to provide applied science solutions to problems as well as to embrace new technology and innovative research. He was also very keen on the writing of reports that were clear and concise.

The Practice went from strength to strength and was soon undertaking work throughout the UK, and internationally as far afield as Indonesia and Australia. The work on the opposite side of the world benefitted from his being able to meet with the client during the day, fax his requirements back to the office where they could be acted upon and the results faxed back to him to present the next day, before the locally based technical people had had a chance to work on them.

As an employer, Geoff was keen to see new staff members develop into the areas of the business they were most interested in. He gave freedom to those who wished to develop innovation and expand the business into new areas. Geoff’s passion for linking practical academia with the extractive industry has been most in evidence through the efforts he, and other committee members, put into the organising of the Extractive Industries Geology (EIG) conferences over the past decades. The ongoing prosperity of the EIG, and the encouragement of new geologists and engineers was one of Geoff’s passions.

Many of us still at GWP have had the privilege of working with Geoff over a number of decades, and he has been both a mentor and an inspiration for us all. Former staff who have moved onto pastures new, have done so taking with them the analytical rigor demanded by Geoff to provide clients with clear, concise and practical advice.

Geoff’s energy and enthusiasm for all activities will be missed.

Shannon Butler · Thu 6 Mar, 14:53 · Link

Firemen's Ladder Practice helps house martins

For a second year running our local firemen came to the rescue ! Thank you Paul, Bob, Harry, Stan, Dale, Jack and Chris.

There used to be hundreds of house martins visiting Charlbury in the summer and their numbers have plummeted. We are hoping to build the colony slowly back by putting up prefabricated nesting cups starting at their remaining site, the Rose and Crown and Cheorl House on Church Street. Putting up these cups saves the birds a month of nest building freeing them up to more quickly lay eggs and hatch chicks.

Only with the help of the firemen can we do this, taking advantage of their amazing team work with ladders which can negotiate wonky pavements and tall buildings. Now fingers are crossed for April when the birds hopefully return to us.  

Flora Gregory · Thu 6 Mar, 10:01 · Link

Street Fair Quiz Reminder

Just a reminder, that time is running out for booking your team for the Street Fair Quiz being held in the Memorial Hall from 7pm on Saturday, the 15th March. Not only is there a great quiz, and a licensed bar, but fabulous food prepared by Marcia from Charlbury's very own Amarelo Bistro as well as the normal snacks. Teams of up to 6, and we will try and place those who are not part of a team.

Deadline for booking is Saturday 9th March, and we have a few tables left, but there's always a late rush.

Cost is £18 per person, inclusive of the food and snacks, with normal (chicken) and vegan options. It is paella, and is gluten-free. First prize is a case (6 bottles) of wine.

Contact Steve Jones on csfquizbooking@gmail.com for booking or on 07850 987922.

All proceeds towards the Corner House and War Memorial Hall

• charlbury_street_fair_2025_poster_v2_3.pdf

Steve Jones · Tue 4 Mar, 21:11 · Link