AN auction house has won its fight to return to Banbury after a long planning battle.

Public support was a major factor in JS Auctions being given permission to once again operate from Cotefield House in Bodicote after it was forced to move to Bicester in 2007 due to Cherwell District Council’s reluctance to allow it to operate in a rural location.

What do you think? Are you please to see JS Auctions return to its established home?
For the full stroy, see this week’s Banbury Guardian.

THE Members of Parliament representing Banburyshire have all declared they have nothing to hide as the furore surrounding MPs’ expense claims continues to rumble on.

Conservative MPs Tony Baldry (Banbury), Tim Boswell (Brackley) and John Maples (Shipston-on-Stour) have all spoken out to publicly declare their claims have all been fair and legitimate.

Their confidence comes in stark contrast to MPs across the country who have been exposed as using taxpayers’ money to fund lifestyles including swimming pools and helipads.

What is your view? Have you lost faith in the political system following the expenses row?

EXTREME measures are being taken by a Banbury man in response to the outbreak of swine flu in the UK.
Ian Thain, a 65-year-old retired software engineer from Hightown Road, has spent hundreds of pounds on items to protect himself and his wife.
Purchases include:
180 disposable facemasks at a cost of £199.
A £200 Katadyn Pocket model water filter from Switzerland, regarded as one of the best in the world and capable of filtering 50,000 litres of contaminated water.
Two pairs of goggles at a cost of £3.50 each
A £75 full face mask
He is also stock piling food so he can stay indoors if necessary and has ordered 250kg of rice at a cost of £262.

What do you think? Are we right to be concerned about swine flu?

A WOMAN who has been trying to start a family for eight years is devastated by news of policy changes which could mean the end of her hopes to have a baby.

Helen Williams, 33, has been waiting for in vitro fertilisation (IVF) treatment  on the NHS since last year.

She and her long-term partner have been forced to delay their attempts to get IVF until Ms Williams was within the necessary age range.

But because of planned changes to the rules for a test tube baby process, she may soon be too old to qualify, as she must lose weight first.

“I put this off until a certain age knowing that IVF will only be given to women from 35 to 38 in Oxfordshire, and now they are ruining my chances by lowering the ages to 30-34,” said Ms Williams of Springfield Avenue, Banbury.

For the full story see this week’s Banbury Guardian, but we want your views on IVF.

Should treatment be given free on the NHS? Should there be a limited age range or should it be extended to women aged 23 to 39? Comment now….

SMOKERS caught dropping cigarette butts will face hefty fines in a bid to clean-up the streets of Banbury.

At a meeting of the executive on Monday, Cherwell district councillors agreed financial penalties should be imposed on smokers dropping butts on the ground.

Authorised council employees will be given new powers to hand out penalties of £75 to offenders seen littering, which will be reduced to £50 if paid within seven days.

What do you think of this plan? Comment here

PUBS and clubs in Banbury are slashing the cost of drinks to as little as a penny in an effort to beat the credit crunch.

Cheap tipples and promotions are being offered at venues across the town in a bid to pull drinkers through the door.

At the Cross Venue in South Bar, Thursday night promotions have included drinks for 50 pence and even a penny, accompanied by an entrance fee.

Dritan Heta, who runs the club, said: “I’m trying to attract customers and let people know it is clean and nice here now. The promotions have been good and it seems to be working. The penny drinks were very good and got a lot of attention.” Mr Heta denied the promotions were an opportunity to encourage binge drinking and said he had experienced no problems through the promotions.

“There has been no trouble at all and nobody has been too drunk,” he said. “

Thursday night drinkers at The Priory in Bridge Street can enjoy cheap drinks at the weekly £1 Party. For others looking for a more exotic drink, the pub offers two-for-one drinks on its cocktails every day from 5pm until 8pm.

Drinkers at the town’s Wetherspoon-chain pubs can sample drinks promotions at The Exchange pub in High Street and Fleur De Lis in Broad Street. Certain drinks are available for just 99p, the same price as drinks in Chicago Rock Cafe, also in Broad Street, on a Wednesday night.

What do you think? Are cheap drink promotions acceptable or an excuse for binge drinking? Comment here.

TWO schools in Banbury will dish out morning-after pills to pupils who request them via text message.

The plan – to be introduced this summer – is to combat teenage pregnancies in the area.

The service is being introduced jointly by Oxfordshire County Council and Oxfordshire Primary Care Trust. Oxfordshire County Council refused to reveal which schools in Banbury are involved as it may serve “no useful purpose and might attract unwarranted and unhelpful attention.”

What do you think? Add your comments here

BUSINESS owners have pleaded for help this week in a desperate attempt to save part of Banbury.

There are now ten empty units in High Street and remaining traders are calling on Cherwell District Council for support.

They want the council to improve parking by the Cross and Fine Lady statue to encourage shoppers to spend cash at that end of the town and to put pressure on the Government’s Valuation Office to reduce rates.

Roy Thomas, who runs High Street-based Cash Converters, said: “The council really needs to ask what it wants from High Street.  At the moment we are paying ludicrous prices and we feel that we have been sold down the river.”

Mick Adkins, owner of The Secret Garden flower shop in High Street, said: “There is not a lot wrong with the High Street – the problem is that all the parking is at one end of town and the area that used to be available for parking is now taken up by taxis.”

And Caffe Nero manager Hannah White said: “The council does need to address the rates and make sure shops stay on the High Street.  A year ago it was great but now it looks like a ghost town.”

What can be done to boost Banbury High Street? Post your comments here.

BANBURY School has been closed to students all week as staff prepare for an exciting new era in the school’s history.

The move into a new Stanbridge teaching block is taking place with staff remaining in school helping with the event.

Oxfordshire County Council gave the nod to plans for the new £6 million teaching block in 2006. In addition to 28 new classrooms, the building features a glass atrium, dining hall, common room and staff offices.

It will be used to teach English, humanities, foreign languages and business studies.

What do you think of the developments at Banbury School? Post your comments here.

The heavy snowfall across the region has caused a number of schools to close this week.

Banbury School pricnipal Dr Fiona Hammans says in this week’s Banbury Guardian that it would be ‘embarrassing’ to close with the levels of snowfall we have seen in recent days, but others say the condition of roads around schools and the safety of staff and pupils is justification for shutting school doors.

Who is right? Post your comments here