BLENHEIM PALACE NAMED LARGE VISITOR ATTRACTION OF THE YEAR

years and to be recognised in this way is a huge boost for the entire team.”

New stadium for Oxford United could be moving closer

Oxford United Football Club has started work on consultations for a new stadium.

The move follows the decision by Oxfordshire County Council to proceed with negotiations on The Triangle site, on land south of Kidlington roundabout.

The site is also close to Oxford Parkway railway station and the park and ride at Water Eaton, but it is in the green belt.

The awards, run by Tourism South East, recognise businesses providing memorable visitor experiences and demonstrating excellence.

The UNESCO World Heritage Site will now be entered into the VisitEngland Awards for Excellence which take place in June.

Heather Carter, Managing Director at Blenheim Palace, said: “We are absolutely thrilled to have received this award from an organisation which represents so many of the UK’s leading tourism businessess. It has been an extremely challenging few

Last year Experience Oxfordshire, the Destination Management Organisation for the county, released new data which showed a positive start to the Oxfordshire visitor economy’s post-pandemic recovery. It revealed a significant recovery in the volume of trips to the county and related expenditure compared to 2020, but warns there is still a long way to go before returning to pre-pandemic levels.

Overall visitors and related expenditure rose from 14.5 million to 23.3 million visitors and from £1 billion to £1.6 billion in expenditure. In contrast the record-level 2019 figures were 30 million and £2.5 billion.

A new vision for Banbury town centre?

Cherwell District Council will be starting work on a consultation and engagement programme called Banbury Vision 2050, which will influence improvements in the town over the next 30 years. This engagement is the first phase of the longterm regeneration planned for Banbury, the council said.

Councillor Ian Corkin, Deputy Leader of the Council and Portfolio Holder for Regeneration and Economy, said: “We’re committed to the long-term regeneration and renewal of Banbury town centre, as the successful opening of Castle Quay Waterfront last year shows.

“With that major piece of work complete, we’re now looking at what’s next for Banbury. We know there are both challenges and opportunities for the town, including some fundamental shifts taking place in consumer behaviour, and what people expect of town centres as a result.”

Oxfordshire County Councillor Callum Miller, said: “The cabinet has agreed that the council should open legal negotiations with Oxford United Football Club on its request for land for a new stadium at “The Triangle” site. These will take place alongside the ongoing discussions with the club to get to the point where a firm proposal can be published for consideration.

“It is important to stress that the county council has not today given the club a green light to develop a new stadium. We have agreed to start detailed negotiations on the terms on which Oxfordshire County Council land could be o ered.”

Oxford United Football Club’s Chief Strategy O cer Niall McWilliams, said: “The club will be pressing ahead at pace with its proposals to help enable the council to make a final decision sooner rather than later. We understand the significant interest in the project from fans, residents, partners and the wider community, and are determined to be transparent and collaborative with all.

“The club now has a unique opportunity to make genuine progress on securing a world-class facility that all of Oxfordshire can be proud of. We take this responsibility extremely seriously and will be working tirelessly to make this opportunity a reality.”