Thame.net

Author: Sonja Francis

  • Inspector rejects Elms care home plan for Thame

    A PLANNING Inspector has dismissed an appeal against refusal of a planning application for the erection of a ‘Housing with Care’ development on land at The Elms, Thame.

    Meadow land at ‘The Elms’ in Thame, where Rectory Homes wanted to build a care home for the elderly

    The application, submitted by Rectory Homes, included a communal residents centre; the creation of new public open space; the provision of new pedestrian/cycle links from Upper High Street to Elms Road and Elms Park; repairs and alterations to the boundary walls and entrance of Elms House; and associated infrastructure works and landscaping.

    The application had been rejected by South Oxfordshire District Council back in February, 2019, and objected to by Thame Town Council, largely because it did not comply with the Thame Neighbourhood Plan.

    The Inspector’s main reasons stated for dismissing the appeal were:

    “Taken as a whole the proposal would be contrary to the development plan in that it would materially exceed the maximum number of dwellings set out in the site specific policy in the TNP (Thame Neighbourhood Plan). It would cause harm to the setting of The Elms ……designated heritage assets, contrary to the relevant policies in the SOLP (South Oxfordshire Local Plan), the SOCS (South Oxfordshire Core Strategy) and TNP; special attention and great weight should be given to these harms. It would also fail to provide affordable housing, in particular on-site, to deliver a mixed community, in line with the policies of the SOCS, the TNP and the Framework. While there would be compliance with other policies, I consider that these are the most important policies for the determination of this appeal.”

    You can read the Inspector’s full report HERE

    Money lost for Elms Park improvements

    Though many local residents and town councillors may welcome the Inspector’s decision, on the negative side, several thousand pounds agreed with Thame Town Council and the developer, for improvements to the public Elms Park, next door to the site, dependent on the plan being approved, will now be lost.

  • Thame schools’ Fireworks display

    THAME Primary Schools’ annual community fireworks display is one of the best displays around and is organised by PTFA volunteers and parents of the three local Thame primary schools, St Joseph’s, John Hampden and Barley Hill.

    The spectacular fireworks display raises important funds for the schools to enhance the education of Thame’s primary school children. It takes place at Lord Williams’s Lower School, Towersey Road. Refreshments, including beer and mulled wine, are served in the Sports Hall from 5.30pm and the fireworks display starts promptly at 6.30pm. Tickets are available in advance from Thame primary schools PTFAs, Wally’s Toy Shop and Thame Town Hall, or available on the gate.

    In the event of bad weather on the day or unforeseen circumstances information will be posted on the website address and the FaceBook pages.
    Website: www.thameschoolsfireworks.co.uk

    This year’s FaceBook pages: Thame Fireworks Display 2019 and
    Thame Primary Schools Fireworks

    Tickets are available in advance from Thame primary schools PTFAs, Wally’s Toy Shop and Thame Town Hall, or available on the gate.

    SOURCE – Contributed

  • Thame atttemped burglary – appeal for witnesses

    THAMES Valley Police is appealing for witnesses following an attempted burglary in Cheshire Road, Thame.



    The incident took place around in the early hours, 00.50am o,n Saturday,  October 12. The occupant heard a noise at the front door and went to the window. They saw a person walking away with an object in their hand. The next morning it was noticed that the lock was damaged.

    The witness described the offender as a man, 6ft tall wearing dark trousers and a dark jacket with the hood up.

    If you have any information about this incident please report it on the Thames Valley Police website, or call 101, quoting reference 43190316717.

    Find out how you can reduce the risk of becoming a victim of burglary by downloading your FREE Home Security Guide from the Thames Valley Police website HERE

  • Peep behind the Scenes at Thame’s Arts and Heritage venues

    THE Players Theatre and Thame Museum have come together to jointly hold an Open Day, offering a golden opportunity to visit the main arts and heritage venues of Thame and see what goes on behind the scenes.

    Discover the secrets of running a busy museum and find out what it’s like to stage a play at Thame’s only dedicated theatre. At each venue, visitors will be shown around and hear about what goes into putting on a museum exhibition or a theatre production. There will be short presentations in each location every hour, on the hour, between 11 am and 3 pm. At the theatre, there will be informative sound and light demonstrations, while at the museum you’ll discover how an Elizabethan merchant got a complete make-over – and so much else besides!

    You might be amazed to learn that both these well-regarded venues are registered charities, run entirely by volunteers, and the services they provide would not be possible without the help of volunteers who involve themselves in tasks both large and small. As well as increasing awareness of Thame’s precious arts and culture venues, the organiseers hope to whet the appetites of new volunteers who would like to help with duties ranging from running front of house to creating sets or installing exhibition displays.

    If you’re thinking about taking up a career in the arts, you’ll learn much that will give you practical insights and an appreciation of the work involved in making small theatres or town museums successful attractions. If, on the other hand, you’ve retired and fancy contributing to the cultural life of our community, Saturday, October 26, 2019, is the day to find out how you could help.

    There’ll be complimentary soft drinks or tea and coffee at both venues, and you’ll receive the warmest of welcomes!

    Thame Museum held their first Open Day in July, and it was a great success – so it is hoped that, on this joint Open Day, there’ll be lots of people walking up and down between the Players Theatre and the Museum.

    A spokesperson for the event said: “It’s going to be a fun day, so please join us any time between 10 am and 4pm!”

    • Thame Museum, 79 High Street, Thame, OX9 3AE, www.thamemuseum.org. For more information contact info@thamemuseum.org.
    • The Players Theatre, Nelson Street, Thame, OX9 2DP, www.thameplayers.co.uk. For more information contact thameplayers@gmail.com

  • BREAKING NEWS: Music Festival teams up with BBC Introducing

    THAME TOWN MUSIC Festival has today announced that BBC Introducing will be part of the next festival on Saturday, July 11, 2020.

    This year, 2019, the free festival, held in Thame town centre and eight other venues around the town, attracted an estimated 12,500 visitors. In 2020 the organisers are adding a special dedicated BBC Introducing stage overseen by radio presenter, Dave Gilyeat and his team at BBC Introducing in Oxford, to highlight young, emerging talent.

    Dave commented: “We are really happy to get involved with Johnnie and Thame Town Music Festival. I’ve always noticed how they’ve given slots to several bands we’ve supported over the years, which has been great, so we’re delighted to become part of the cause! There are some fantastic new acts coming through and we are dedicated to helping achieve the opportunities, recognition and success they deserve.”

    Festival Director, Johnnie Littler said: “We are thrilled to be working with Dave and his BBC Introducing Oxford team to help showcase great new music from the area. It is part of our mission to give emerging talent a platform to perform, and to reach a new and wider audience. We have found a kindred spirit in Dave who has long been a vigorous champion of new acts and the best of the new breed.”

    BBC Radio 6 Music DJ, Tom Robinson, who was an early supporter of TTMF added: “I’m delighted this great festival is going from strength to strength.”

    Well done Thame Town Music Festival and BBC Introducing – a great partnership!

  • All is True – at Thame Cinema

    SCREENING in association with Thame Art and Literature Festival, this is an affectionate, wry and slightly melancholy contemplation of the later life of William Shakespeare.

    It is 1613, and the Globe theatre has burned down during a production of Henry the VIII (All is True) because of a misfiring canon. Will decides it is time to pull up stumps and return home to reflect on his long career and spend more time with his family. But what he imagines as a peaceful retirement is, instead, a process of reckoning with long neglected familial tensions and regrets.

    A mixture of fact and fiction, and written by Ben Elton – whose Upstart Crow for the BBC also goes behind the scenes of the domestic life of Shakespeare – this film eschews all-out bawdy comedy of that programme in favour of a more wistful and poignant take on late middle age, regret, and grief. The emotional heart of the narrative is the death of Anne and William’s son, Hammet Shakespeare, 17 years earlier at the age of 11, a loss that William has never confronted and from which Anne has never recovered. Also at stake is the question of parenting, and the consequence of one parent’s pursuit of fame and glamour at the expense of those left behind, notably Dench’s Anne Hathaway, and their cranky and resentful daughter Judith.

    You really cannot go wrong with a cast of this calibre, and Branagh’s film delivers all that you might expect of great writing, masterful storytelling, and exceptional performances. And you might learn something about Shakespeare’s celebrated 2nd best bed. View trailer .

    Saturday October 19, 8pm – All is True – UK, 2018, 100 minutes, 12A certificate – Director Kenneth Branagh; Starring Kenneth Branagh, Judi Dench, Ian McKellen
    Please note: Tickets for this event must be purchased from the TAL website or box office: for details of how to buy a ticket visit https://talfestival.org/box-office-details/

  • Government letter an ‘unacceptable intervention’ into local democracy’

    FOLLOWING a letter from Communities secretary, Robert Jenrick, ordering SODC ‘not to take any step in connection with the adoption of the Plan, while I consider the matter further,’ the Leader of South Oxfordshire District Council, Sue Cooper, has issued a statement. It reads:

    “A direction from the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government means we are currently unable to take any steps in connection with the adoption of the (Local) Plan, which meant it was necessary to withdraw the agenda item to discuss the plan from the October 10, Council meeting. I would like to reiterate our apology to all members of the public who had travelled to the meeting and didn’t get a chance to take part in a local democratic process.

    Leader of SODC, Sue Cooper

    “This last-minute move from the government is an unacceptable intervention of national government into local democracy. The Secretary of State removed the democratic right of South Oxfordshire councillors and residents who turned out in great numbers to exercise those rights through listening, debating and voting in public on a matter of great importance to our district, and who have now been unfairly silenced.

    “This is all a great disappointment to district councillors in South Oxfordshire who remain committed to doing the right thing for the needs of residents and communities within our district. Throughout this process, we have taken a reasonable and responsible approach and will continue to do so.

    “We welcome the Secretary of State’s invitation for our officers to discuss our next steps with his officials. I have asked officers to continue to work constructively with the Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government and all our local partners to work towards ensuring positive outcomes for all our residents and communities, and the removal of the Secretary of State’s direction.”)

    Last week SODC’s cabinet was ready to discuss an vote on a recommendation of the Council to scrap the existing draft plan altogether and start again. (See previous story for background HERE)

  • Changes to Arriva 280 Bus Service

    CHANGES have been made to the 280 service as from November 3, 2019, to help improve punctuality. Buses will continue to run at the existing weekday frequency of every 15 minutes between Oxford and Haddenham, and every 30 minutes Oxford to Aylesbury, but the times will change slightly.

    Most journeys that currently terminate at Haddenham & Thame Parkway will be extended through Haddenham to terminate via a loop of Churchway, Stanbridge Road and Woodways.

  • Transport expected to be the service most hit by a ‘Halloween’ Brexit

    AGENCIES across Oxfordshire have been working together to prepare for the UK potentially leaving the EU on October 31. Although there is national uncertainty about the short-term impact of Brexit, the Government has asked Oxfordshire councils to highlight that they are prepared to respond to any foreseeable potential impact on public services for which they are directly responsible.

    Image of Waitrose’s new ultra, low carbon vehicle – Courtesy of gray-adams.com

    Short-term risks to public safety and normal daily life have been assessed by emergency planners in Oxfordshire and remain ‘low’, though Transport and the supply chain is expected to be the service most hit by disruption, for instance for managing lorry traffic to or from the south coast ports.

    Rob MacDougall, Chief Fire Officer and Oxfordshire County Council lead Brexit planner, said: “All the councils and other agencies have been working well together to plan for Brexit, including leaving the EU without a deal. There are already plans in place to cover foreseeable types of short-term disruption to public services that are delivered by local partners in Oxfordshire.

    “Overall we believe the risks to public service delivery are low. The biggest risk of disruption is to transport and the supply chain, for instance managing lorry traffic to or from the south coast ports.

    “In fact, plans for this kind of disruption had already been made. The Thames Valley Local Resilience Forum role includes managing the impact of major disruption to strategic roads in the area which are being reviewed in the context of Brexit.

    “The government has asked to closely monitor potential impacts of Brexit on local businesses. We recognise concerns expressed by local employers. Oxfordshire councils stand ready to provide any practical support within their powers to local businesses. This could include identifying specific Oxfordshire impacts and relaying those to the government.”

    Mark Stone, Chief Executive of South Oxfordshire and the Vale of White Horse District Councils, said: “We’re not expecting any significant impact on our part of the country, but we hope our residents are reassured that we have been working together across Oxfordshire to ensure the councils here are well prepared.”

    Links to specific information and advice for businesses and individuals can be found HERE

  • Looking for some squash this weekend ?

    WELL, you’ve come to the right place! Raquets in Thame have three, 100up tournaments this Saturday coming, October 12, suitable for all ages:

    Juniors – from beginners to elite 12noon to 2pm
    Adults D/E grade – 2pm to 4pm
    Adults A/B grade – 4pm to 6pm
    C graders can choose (D/E or A/B depending on who else has entered!)

    It’s World Squash Day – October 12, 2019

    Watch the US Squash Open final at Racquets Fitness Centre, North Street, Thame (behind the Cattlemarket) on the day.

    For more details and to book, go to http://www.racquets-fitness-centre.com/racquets-world-squash-day-2019/

    So what is a ‘100up tournement’?

    A 100up tournament is two hours of everyone playing everyone else for short matches. Everyone keeps their previous score thoughout the two hours. It’s fun. It’s a lot of exercise. Just two hours. Meet and play lots of different people.

    PLUS

    Do you have an old wooden or aluminium squash racket in your loft ? Take in your old squash racket on World Squash Day Saturday, October 12, 2019, to Racquets, and they’ll swap it for one of the following:

    £25 off our 5 week ‘learn to play squash’ membership. Usually £75.
    So just £50 for 5 week platinum membership including a group squash coaching session each week.

    Or

    £20 off a new squash racket

    Or

    A half price individual coaching session