Uncover the Oxford Indie Book Fair

Karen Neville

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Oxford

Karen Neville

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The fifth fair is all set to be the biggest & best yet

The fifth Oxford Indie Book Fair takes place at Oxford University Examination Schools in the High Street on December 1st, opened by the charismatic Chancellor of Oxford Brookes University, the actor and author Paterson Joseph.

Thanks to the sponsorship of the Lucy Group, the Fair is doubling up again this year and will fill both halls in the impressive venue – Oxford University Examination Halls. The declared aim of Oxib is to be free entry so no one in excluded. All the talks and activities are free too. Like many underprivileged young people, access to books, particularly through libraries, opened doors to opportunity for Paterson.

What’s On December 2024 – Oxford Indie Book Fair

Speakers include the historian Janina Ramirez, the naturalist Hugh Warwick – he of The Prickly Affair in discussion with Canon Rev. Dr. Charlotte Bannister Parker on the topic is there hope for creation? The discussion will be chaired by Ray Foulk who ran Planet Earth workshops in the nineties in most Oxfordshire state secondary schools.

There is lots to attract children and families, including activities provided by Korky Paul, and the Pegasus Youth Theatre. The organisers are delighted to announce that the international children’s author, Paul Gustafson, known for his series of Eggbert’s Adventures, will be exhibiting. His books are illustrated by Ray Mutimer (illustrator of Postman Pat, Paddington, Noddy, Rupert and Friends magazine, Charlie Chalk and Star Hill Pony’s magazine for the BBC). Paul’s giant Eggbert will also providing fun activities for the youngest readers.

Check out who’s going to be there in the exhibitor directory.

The fabulous assemblage of children and young adult writers include:

Angela Kecojevic: Being Brace, Frank’s Secret Yeti, Sleuth School: Jeremy Swift Investigates, and The Laughing Shepherd.

Vie Portland: inclusive children’s picture books.

Griselda Heppel: Ante’s Inferno, The Tragickall History of Henry Fowst, The Fall of a Sparrow.

Milo McGivern: Five books, detailling the adventures of Aubrey, Clifford and Walli on the mysterious Island of Animaux.

JM Carr: Wonder Girls

Veneficia Publications: With books for children of all ages.

Oxford Children’s Book Group: Featuring a variety of children’s books including the story of St Frideswide who founded Oxford told for young children in The Princess who Hid in a Tree.

There’s non-ficton too, Crosswords for Boffins and Rebecca Mileham, author of popular science books. Her most recent book is ‘Cracking the Elements’ (2018) which takes a comprehensive look at the development of the periodic table – and reveals untold stories, unsung pioneers and intriguing science along the way.

For budding authors there’ll be lots of publishers and publishing professionals and the future of English Poetry is in the safe hands of Ignition Press, a publishing arm of Oxford Brookes. Niall Munroe has organised the poetry slam. You can even learn How Tennis Invented Everything…

More info

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Kiri’s Peacock lands at North Wall 

Liz Nicholls

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Oxford

Liz Nicholls

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Panel show star & foster parent Kiri Pritchard-McLean brings her dazzling Peacock show to the North Wall in Summertown on 30th October as part of a UK tour  

Kiri Pritchard-McLean has had a busy few years. As well as hosting Live at the Apollo, fronting the Radio 4 panel show Best Medicine and starting a comedy school, she’s become a foster parent.  

Didn’t know that about her? Well, until now she hasn’t been able to talk about it on stage, she hasn’t even told the kids in her care that she’s a comedian oh and she uses a different name – she’s the Bruce Wayne of comedy but without the mansions. 

However, this year something changed and after a couple of the eggiest gigs of her career in boardrooms to social workers, a show about becoming a foster carer has been signed off! So, come and join “Louise” as she lifts the lid on social workers, first aid training and what not to do when a vicar searches for you on YouTube.  

“It’s fantastic to see our foster carer, Kiri, positively promoting fostering during her UK tour,” says Alastair Cope, head of Foster Wales.“It will really help increase awareness of foster care, and challenge false perceptions around what it takes to be a foster carer. We hope that through Kiri candidly sharing her fostering journey, people will recognise skills and qualities in themselves and consider putting in an enquiry to foster”. 

Welsh comedian Kiri is a multi-award winning comedian, satirist and writer. Her recent credits appearances on Have I Got News For You, 8 out of 10 Cats Does Countdown, QI and Frankie Boyle’s New World Order. She has a weekly show on BBC Radio Wales, and has hosted Newsjack, Loose Ends and The News Quiz and her Radio 4 panel show, Best Medicine, has recently been commissioned for a second series. 

Kiri is co-creator and co-host of cult hit podcast All Killa No Filla, about serial killers that has a huge following worldwide. For the podcast Who Are You Wearing, Kiri chats to her guests about their experiences with fashion. She also co-hosts a comedy travel podcast, The Pod of Wales, with Esyllt Sears. 

She is one fifth of the sketch group Tarot and a former winner of the Caroline Aherne Bursary. She has written and directed for The Old Vic and her BBC Radio Wales sitcom, The Learners has just been re-commissioned for a third time. In 2023 she made her screen directing debut for the BBC with Pobl Bachyn. Kiri has also written extensively across radio and was a writer on four series of The Russell Howard Hour. 

During lockdown Kiri hosted Live From The Covid Arms, which was declared a cultural highlight of 2020 by The Telegraph. It was recognised by the Guinness Book of World Records as the world’s largest online pub and also raised over £150,000 for food banks and The Trussell Trust. 

Find out more and purchase tickets Kiri Pritchard-McLean: Peacock – The North Wall, Oxford

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Join Waterside Café for birthday event

Liz Nicholls

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Oxford

Liz Nicholls

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Waterside Cafe in Farmoor, will celebrate its first anniversary under new ownership with an exclusive evening supper club featuring Tikka and Tadka on Saturday, 31st August

The team at Waterside Cafe in Cumnor, OX2 9NS, are excited to announce their first evening supper club event, celebrating one year under new ownership!

This special occasion will be held in collaboration with loved local independent business, Tikka and Tadka, known for their authentic Indian cuisine.

Join them for an evening of delicious food and breath-taking views of the reservoir. Guests will enjoy a meticulously crafted three-course Indian meal prepared by Tikka and Tadka, with the picturesque backdrop of the reservoir and the potential for a stunning sunset to enhance the evening.

Waterside Cafe has enjoyed a fantastic first year, building strong relationships with customers, suppliers, and friends in the community. This supper club is a way to say thank you and celebrate the journey together. Only 40 tickets are available – book early to avoid dissapointment!

Owner Rachel says: “We are thrilled to celebrate our first anniversary with our incredible community. Partnering with Tikka and Tadka for our very first Evening Supper Club is the perfect way to mark this milestone. We look forward to sharing an unforgettable evening with everyone.

“Being slightly out of Oxford and new to the hospitality industry, the journey has sometimes been lonely and isolating. However, it has also been incredibly rewarding. Every day I’ve learned something new, and the support from other small businesses and our brilliant relationships with our suppliers has been a lifeline during our first year. Their encouragement and support have been invaluable, and I’m truly grateful to be part of such a supportive community.

“Making it through our first year feels like a significant achievement, and I’m excited about what’s next. We’re planning more collaborations like this supper club and have recently purchased a horsebox trailer to serve take-away coffee. We have lots of exciting ideas in the pipeline. We’ve also recently become a Chatty Cafe, supporting a charity that encourages conversations to reduce loneliness. The reservoir is a real community hub, and I’m eager to continue promoting this important initiative in the coming months.”

“Before I took over Waterside Cafe, I was baking celebration cakes, and I’m particularly proud that I still make all our cakes and traybakes for the cafe. My apple Dorset cake has become known as the ‘house special’, and on many weekends, we’ve completely sold out because people love it so much. It’s wonderful to continue doing what I love and to see the cafe now recognised for its great homemade produce.”

Tickets can be purchased via this link.

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Think you know Oxford’s history?

Liz Nicholls

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Oxford

Liz Nicholls

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Oxford: A Potted History by retired clergyman David Meara offers an accessible history of Oxford from Anglo-Saxon times to the present day highlighting the city’s significant events and people.

Oxford’s history begins with the story of a king’s daughter, Frideswide, who founded a nunnery in the meadows where the River Thames and River Cherwell meet. A settlement grew up around her shrine, which was built on the site of the present cathedral and it was also a good place for cattle to cross, hence the name “Ox-Ford”.

A Norman castle built after the Conquest, and students were first attracted there in the reign of Henry I. The town and university continued to grow through the ravages of the Black Death, and in the Civil War became the home of Charles I’s royal court. The pioneering Radcliffe Observatory was built in the 18th century and railway network, printing and publishing, car manufacturing and brewing among other industries, and suburbs were built to house the working population.

Today, alongside its universities, its role as a technological and medical hub is demonstrated by its development of the Oxford-AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine, but it is also home to the Oxford Committee for Famine Relief, founded in 1942, which opened its first Oxfam shop in 1949. The shop is still there on Broad Street today.

This book will look back over the centuries to uncover the fascinating history of the city. This accessible historical portrait of the transformation that Oxford has undergone through the ages will be of great interest to residents, visitors and all those with links to the city.

David Meara is a retired Church of England clergyman who worked in the Oxford Diocese for 27 years, and then served as Rector of St. Bride’s Fleet Street and Archdeacon of London until 2014. He has made a lifetime study of Church movements and brasses and has published extensively on the subject.

He has published on a range of topics, including Anglo-Scottish sleeper trains and the scuttling of German ships at Scapa Flow. His father-in-law fought in Burma in the Second World War.

Oxford A Potted History, £15.99, ISBN: 9871398116801 https://www.amberley-books.com/oxford-a-potted-history.html

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Meet mural painter Lisa Made It!

Liz Nicholls

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Oxford

Liz Nicholls

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Legendary Oxford mural artist Lisa Made It has collaborated with patients at Sobell House Hospice to create a ‘personal and touching’ design for this summer’s OxTrail event.

Running until the end of August, the family art exhibition OxTrail sees a herd of more than 130 ox sculptures take over Oxfordshire. The incredible collection, now on display, showcases 31 large oxen sculptures, each uniquely decorated by artists and placed in key locations across the city.

As part of the art event there are more than 100 mini oxen set up in mini herds across the county. Among these calf-sized sculptures, illustrator Lisa Curtis has crafted a collaboratively designed ox which is now on display at the heart of the trail – Sobell House Hospice.

To create the Sobell House ox, Lisa spent a morning drinking tea and talking with patients and staff at the Living Well service facility, working together on collages to make the base of her oxen design.

Lisa says: “It was great to meet people and hear about the different activities they do. We worked together to make some lovely collages, letting the scissors do the work and not thinking too much about the outcome.

“It was really moving to hear what a difference the hospice’s Living Well service makes to patients, just enjoying the company of others, having a chat and taking part in creative activities like gardening or sewing together.”

The design is for the hospice ox is bright and colourful. It includes parts for the collage designs made by staff and patients, including a big green rabbit, geometric flowers and abstract shapes.

Lisa continues: “I also added two hands giving the Ox a hug, some long wiggly arms drinking cups of tea and a few plants growing up the side and over the head of the Ox, in my usual bold and colourful style. I was really inspired by the joy and creativity among the team, and I hope the ox brings even more colour and warmth to Sobell House.”

Lisa Made It is a mural painter and illustrator based in Oxford. Her unique and brightly coloured designs feature bold shapes and crisp lines often inspired by nature and community.

For the last 10 years, Lisa has worked with local schools, charities and independent businesses in Oxford, and she has painted mural walls in all corners of her home city.

Amelia Foster, CEO of Sobell House Hospice Charity says: “Lisa has truly captured the heart of the OxTrail campaign with her ox. Sobell House is funded by the community, and we are delighted that OxTrail allows us to give something back to the community we serve. The design of the hospice ox is hopeful and personal, and embodies the spirit of our Living Well service, which helps people to find new ways of living well with their life-limiting illnesses. We are very proud of her design and thankful for the input of our wonderful patients.”

The OxTrail art, including Lisa’s piece, will be on display until the end of August. On Friday, 13th September, many of the sculptures will be auctioned off to raise money for the hospice.

Amelia adds: “OxTrail is off to a brilliant start, and it is wonderful to see the public engaging with the oxen and using the app to find them in their iconic locations. If you haven’t yet joined the moo-vement and started ox-ploring… what is stopping you?”

Families can explore the city and spot the oxen in and around the county, following the trail by using the app or map. You can find the official OxTrail merchandise shop in the Westgate Shopping Centre, next to Blackwell’s.

For more information on OxTrail head to OxTrail 2024.

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10 Must Try Cafes in Oxford

Ellie Cox

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Oxford

Ellie Cox

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These cafes and coffee shops offer a diverse range of experiences, from historical and opulent settings to cosy, intimate spots, making Oxford a great destination for coffee lovers.

Tired of drinking underwhelming coffee? This guide brings you the best coffee hot spots & cafes around Oxford. So, if you’re making plans to visit Oxford any time soon, make sure to add these to your to-do list.

1. The Missing Bean

A favourite for students, this café is renowned for its Antipodean-style coffee and lively ambiance. The Missing Bean is perfect for a quick takeaway or a cosy sit-in.

2. Society Café

Situated on St. Michael’s Street, this café features a wide selection of espresso and filter coffee options, sourced from premier coffee farms and roasters. It’s a favourite for its spacious interior and co-working-friendly atmosphere.

3. Jericho Coffee Traders

Known for it’s micro-roastery, Jericho Coffee Traders offers tailored coffee blends and pop-up locations around the city. It’s a must visit for coffee lovers.

4. GAIL’s Bakery

Besides great coffee, GAIL’s offers an array of freshly baked goods, making it a perfect spot for breakfast or a casual coffee break.

5. The Handle Bar Café and Kitchen

Situated above a bike shop, this café is renowned for its atmosphere and delicious toasted banana bread. It also offers extended hours for evening hours.

6. The Grand Café

Located on the site of England’s oldest coffee house, The Grand Café is more famous for its tea and opulent decor, offering a unique historical experience.

7. Colombia Coffee Roasters

Located in the Covered Market, this café specialises in single-origin coffee from Colombia, complemented by tasty baked goods.

8. The Ashmolean Café

Located in the Ashmolean Museum, this rooftop café offers stunning views alongside a solid coffee and tea selection, with profits supporting the museum.

9. The Edge Eatery

Located in Witney, Oxfordshire, this café receives a huge amount of praise for its delicious brunch & speciality coffee offerings.

10. Gatineau

Gatineau offers a range of artisanal fresh breads, viennoiserie, cakes, savouries, biscuits and chocolates.

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“Guilty” pleasures at Six By Nico

Liz Nicholls

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Oxford

Liz Nicholls

We try a sneaky preview of the new menu at Six by Nico on Oxford’s Westgate Roof Terrace, launching on 11th August and available for diners until 1st September.

What’s your ‘guilty pleasure’, foodwise? You know, that sweet taste of childhood that you might turn to when you need a bit of comfort… Your go-to fast food when you’ve got a hangover… Maybe your choice of takeaway when you’re happy to indulge your inner slob and chomp in bed (I call this a ‘bed picnic’ and don’t knock it till you’ve tried it).

The third menu at the buzzing new Six By Nico in Oxford takes this lusciously indulgent concept and runs with it. But, as you’d expect from the team headed up by foodie star and restaurateur Nico Simeone (see our takes on the first two menus, The Chippie and the Amalfi Coast) this is food that’s incredibly easy to enjoy but with made with big helpings of complexity and skill.

Here’s another carefully curated menu that stokes and strokes your memory, starting with the ‘snacks’ including the salty Cheesy Beano Croquettes that had everyone at my table of foodies smitten. As with all the six-course tasting menus (changed up every six weeks) each treat is accompanied by its own drinks menu, starting with a cocktail (in my case a delicious chocolate espresso martini; the strawberry cheesecake spritz is also a stand-out star) curated by the in-house bartenders.

And then, appetite sharpened, you’re off. If you’ve wisely chosen the wine pairing option, there will be a glass of vino that really helps each course sing.

Just as well as that the flavours pack a punch: the Breakfast Muffin is a spicy salsiccia bon bon, aged cheddar, truffle emulsion & egg yolk jam that’s like a party in your mouth. This is not the sort of fare you’d grab at a McDonald’s Drive-Thru on a walk of shame.

The Loaded Potato Skins are the perfect guilty pleasure too, with an amazing smoked bacon jam, chive emulsion & whipped creme fraiche, with a perfectly crisp Sicilian tipple.

Cheeseburger & Chips (aged beef tartare, house burger sauce, dill pickle, parmesan & beer battered cornichon) held up well with another pickly punch. But my stand-out fave was the veggie alternative Mac & Cheese with cauliflower couscous, jalapeno gherkin ketchup & pickled golden raisins. Deeeelicious!

The still-surprising element of the Six By Nico experience is how the different courses play with your levels of hunger. You feel ravenous at the start and think the portions aren’t going to satisfy but courses four and five, the Fish Finger Butty (coalfish, salt & vinegar hash brown, smoked tomato caviar, toasted brioche polonaise) and Nico Fried Chicken (crispy chicken, NFC crumb, baked celeriac, charred corn and a sublime black garlic emulsion & chicken jus gras) fill not just your eyes but your belly, in just the right way. And if not, you can add on the Buffalo Fried Chicken (“Franks” hot sauce, gorgonzola royale & pickled celery).

Food memories always have to end with some serious sweetness, and it’s amazing how Warm Cookie Dough tucks you back into that sleepy satisfied feeling with different textures of hazelnut & chocolate cookie, summer raspberry, praline cremeux, vanilla espuma.

Summer is short, and so is life, so make sure to grab a booking and treat your tastebuds to a trip back in time to your happy place.

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Uncover Oxford with a tour guide

Round & About

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Oxford

After deciding 30 years behind a desk was enough, Joanna Hamilton trained to become an accredited member of the Oxford Guild of Tour Guides. What will you discover on a tour of the famous city?

Do you know your own backyard? Oxford residents are bracing themselves for the summer arrival of visitors who flock to the city to find out more about the dreaming spires and their surrounds, but how much do you know?

Many of these visitors take a tour to learn about the city, it’s famous university, the great (and not so great) who have studied and worked here – and, of course, our literature and film locations from C.S. Lewis to Harry Potter!

But it’s often more local visitors, old and young, who discover the most and enjoy seeing familiar sites with fresh eyes. Members of the Oxford Guild of Tour Guides are all trained and accredited and offer a more personal experience for curious local as well as overseas guests. We also have exclusive visiting arrangements to some of our famous colleges.

No two tours are ever the same. All guides cater for people’s individual interests – be that history, architecture, famous books (from the Oxford English Dictionary, Alice in Wonderland and our own Inspector Morse, film locations (you can see me in the opening sequence of Mama Mia 2 which was filmed in New College’s stunning hall with Bjorn from Abba!) to the story of the City and the University from Saxon times, through the beginnings of the University (lots of violence as well as study and religion) through to the current day, the turbulence of the 16th and 17th Century when Charles I set up court here and what is going on in Oxford now…

And the stories can be told while wandering our lovely medieval streets. Even in the busy summer, you can organise a tour for early morning or later afternoon to avoid the crowds. Or wrap up warm and take a tour during the quieter winter months.

People often book tours as gifts for family and friends (I did a funeral party once and also a wedding group) or local businesses looking to treat their staff or VIP customers.

You’re sure to find out so much more about places that we all know – but do not always know much about.

Every day I learn something new, not just about Oxford, but about the history of our country and the rest of the world. I also get to meet such interesting people and have an excuse to immerse myself in the work of notable characters and scientific innovations connected with our beautiful City.

You can find a Guide (you may know some of us!) at www.oxfordguildoftourguides.co.uk 

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The Cricket Professionals of Oxford

Round & About

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Oxford

They have been playing cricket in Abingdon for a long time, as local author Michael Stimpson tells us in his new book The Cricket Professionals of Oxford

The first Abingdon Cricket Club was established in 1821 and played at a ground in Shippon. It was very much a club for gentlemen of the neighbourhood and not for the riff raff.

Throughout the Victorian period, cricket was played at many places in the town, including the Race Course on Abingdon Common, in the grounds of Caldecott House, and on a meadow in Rye Farm.

It was not until 1892 that a new cricket and football ground was opened, just over the bridge on Culham Road, and cricket has been played there ever since.

In the 1920’s and 30’s, all sorts of cricket teams sprung up in the town. The Abingdon Pavlova Cricket Club was the most successful, winning several trophies. Other teams at this time included the Abingdon Police, Abingdon GPO, MG Athletic, Abingdon Imperials and RAF Abingdon, as well as sides from different churches.

Some notable cricketers have played at Abingdon, including future England captain Plum Warner, who turned out for the town club whilst at Oxford University.

Michael also tells us how in recent times, the Abingdon Vale Cricket Club has nurtured the development of young players passing through its youth section. Of these youngsters, six have gone on to become professional cricketers, with two sets of brothers, Ben and Luke Charlesworth, and Tom and Ollie Price, joining Gloucestershire, whilst Harrison Ward and Zach Lion-Cachet now play for Sussex. All of these young cricketers are showing promise, with Ollie Price having played for England Lions on a tour to South Africa last winter. Oxfordshire Head Coach Rupert Evans said: “Abingdon Vale have good coaches, but it is just amazing that one cricket club has produced all of these lads.”

Abingdon has a long cricketing history, but looking to the future, some of its former youth players could go on to make a name for themselves.

The Cricket Professionals of Oxford by Michael Stimpson is available in local bookshops and Ebay pp £14.

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Six of the best from Nico

Liz Nicholls

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Oxford

Six by Nico is the newest addition to the Westgate in Oxford. Liz Nicholls was lucky enough to be among the first to try it at the weekend

As the city of dreaming spires (with a wondrous view of them from the top of the Westgate) Oxford is known for its old-school charm.

But when a newcomer to the foodie scene creates a buzz, it’s a real thrill. And when that newcomer is an original foodie fanatic who has made his name in other, bigger, brasher cities before landing here, I’m sniffing about for titbits and tasters.

This is how I found myself absorbing the neon genius of an Irn Bru sorbet with a perfect ‘deep fried mars bar’ (actually a very classy chocolate pave & associated bits) in the intergalactic bonsai zen den at Six By Nico.

If you haven’t been to one of Nico Simeone’s restaurants (there are branches in Leeds, Belfast, London, Cardiff, Birmingham, Manchester and his native Glasgow) the concept is magically enjoyable. For £50 a head you can sit back and relax while you’re served a six-course tasting menu (dietary requirements catered for if you’re that person) that changes every six weeks, drawing inspiration from a memory, place or idea. For an extra £39 you can enjoy an expertly matched wine with each course, which I highly recommend you do.

Now, you might hate a ‘tasting menu’. Weeny portions and a lack of imagination at other restaurants might have given them a bad name, but not here. Thanks to hard graft, his Italian heritage, a flawless service team and a real passion for food, Nico knows exactly what he’s doing. The first menu is ‘the Chippie’, a nostalgic chip shop-inspired half dozen.

This is no bodged assortment of battered bits, instead you’ll find the courses deconstructed and dreamed up as better variations. From the starter, a mindbending parmesan and tatty concoction with curry oil, through the mains including a ‘steak pie’ of meaty magic which arrives in a smoke-filled cloche for a theatrical flourish to that incredible pud, you’re taken on a journey. But, amid a stonking interior (top marks for the amazing banquettes and yellow leather scalloped sofas) the food manages to sing. It’s not fancy for the sake of itself, either, but the flavours and originality should, hopefully mean this place is here for many changing menus to come. Oxford is stony ground for people to take root (as I know, 12 years after landing here myself) so I hope the Westgate crowd take it to their hearts.

I can’t wait for the next one. And, take it from me, you won’t leave hungry or hammered but with a spring in your step.

Bookings from 20th May. Visit Home – Six By Nico

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