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Weekly round-up: Five stories you may have missed

BBC Ronnie barker archive imageBBC
The beloved comedian was passionate about antiques and collectables

A story about the late comedian Ronnie Barker's antique shop being sold was among our most read this week in Oxfordshire.

A variety of local issues were featured on the BBC News website, BBC Radio Oxford and South Today.

We have picked five stories to keep you up to date.

Oxford Debenhams: Vacant store could become lab space in £125m plan

Google Debenhams in Oxford City CentreGoogle
The site has been unused since Debenhams closed during the Covid pandemic

A £125m project could transform a former Debenhams store into lab space in Oxford city centre.

The Crown Estate is a partner in the plan to renovate the store, situated at the junction of Magdalen Street and George Street.

Subject to it securing planning permission, work could start later this year and lab spaces could open in 2027 or 2028.

The Debenhams store closed in 2021 and has been unused since.

Cotswold Wildlife Park's Lemur Week marked by 70th breeding success

BRIAN LILLY Black and White LemursBRIAN LILLY
Lemurs are native to Madagascar and their name means “spirit of the dead”

A wildlife park has celebrated its 70th lemur breeding success ahead of a week raising money to help save the endangered primates.

Cotswold Wildlife Park, near Burford, Oxfordshire, has just announced the birth of ring-tailed lemur twins.

Lemur Week, which starts today until 2 June, aims to raise awareness and funds for the world's most endangered lemurs.

The park's open-air Madagascar exhibit is home to 31 free-roaming lemurs and was officially opened in 2008.

Ronnie Barker's shop sign auctioned for £1,430

CHIPPING NORTON MUSEUM The Emporium in Chipping Norton archive imageCHIPPING NORTON MUSEUM
The sign had been previously sold in an auction at an Oxfordshire hotel

The sign of Ronnie Barker's antique shop has been sold for £1,430 in an online auction.

The late comedian was passionate about collectables and opened The Emporium in Chipping Norton, Oxfordshire, in 1989 with his wife Joy.

Ewbank's Auctions confirmed the sign had gone to a private buyer who grew up in the town.

Auctioneer and partner at Ewbank's, Andrew Ewbank, said it was "wonderful" the item had been purchased by someone "with a strong connection to the local area".

Charity awarded £100k to expand technology project

SOFEA Reilly Allen, Community Larder Assistant at SOFEA handing SOFEA
Reilly Allen at SOFEA handing a laptop to Jane Tyndall, at Cholsey Volunteers

A charity has won £100,000 in funding to help it refurbish phones and computers for those who cannot afford to buy devices.

SOFEA, in Didcot, Oxfordshire, was awarded the grant from the Time After Time fund, created by Virgin Media O2 and environmental charity Hubbub.

The charity set up a project during the pandemic to help provide technology devices for those who needed them most and reduce Oxfordshire’s e-waste.

Ben Tuppen, SOFEA project manager, said the grant would help “to refurbish more than 1,500 devices” for people across the community.

Weekend festival to be town's first Pride event

BANBURY PRIDE COMMITTEE Banbury Pride committee with event merchandiseBANBURY PRIDE COMMITTEE
Banbury Pride will take place from 31 May until 2 June

An Oxfordshire town is preparing to host its first-ever Pride event.

Banbury Pride 2024 will take place from 31 May until 2 June on Butchers Row, featuring live entertainment and street performances.

The street will be closed to traffic for the whole weekend.

Tom Staples, chair of the Banbury Pride Committee, said they really wanted "to lay the foundations this year to make this an annual event".

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