Appeal for betting shop dismissed

The following appeal was dismissed this week. It is the old Cartridge World site

13/00023/FUL

“Change of use from retail unit (Use Class A1) to licensed betting office (Use Class A2).  Alterations to side elevation and shopfront”.

106 London Road

Please email David or Ruth if you would like to see a copy of the Inspector’s adjudication in full

Licensing application by Sainsbury’s

Our latest information is that Sainsbury’s is intending to operate a convenience store from 07.00-23.00 with a start date early in 2014. Here is their licensing application. We understand that cans of alcoholic beverages will not be sold singly

 

13/01758/PREM

Application for a New Premises Licence: The application is for sale of alcohol (off sales only) Monday to Sunday 07.00 hrs to 23.00 hrs

Sainsbury’s Supermarkets, 98 London Road, Headington

 

The close date for comments is 7 August

if you wish to send in comments, please address them to The Licensing Authority, Oxford City Council St Aldates Chambers, 109 St Aldates, Oxford, OX1 1DS,

or by email to: licensing@oxford.gov.uk

Westgate consultation – make your views known!

Proposals for the new Westgate aim to create an open and vibrant shopping environment, through a series of new spaces and pedestrian-friendly streets, as opposed to a single enclosed shopping centre. Specific elements of the plans include:

  • Around 70 new shops, including a 10,000 sq m John Lewis department store;
  • New cafes and restaurants and potentially a cinema;
  • New covered streets and public squares/spaces;
  • A new roof top terrace with views over the city;
  • New basement car park of over 1000 spaces;
  • New cycle parking;
  • New homes adjacent to Castle Mill Stream;
  • New public conveniences;
  • Retention of the existing public library with a new enhanced entrance on Castle Street.

If you would like to read more, and fill in the consultation questionnaire, then please click here

The future of retail in district shopping centres

Ruth writes..

I attended a really interesting open meeting last night on the future of retail in Summertown, the event was organised by the Summertown St Margaret’s Neighbourhood Forum and was well attended. The two speakers were from the Said Business School and a town centres specialist from Wantage.

Lots of food for thought in the presentations. Interesting points included:

  • People are saving 8% in times of austerity vs 1% in mid 2000s, so less likely to make larger purchases
  • Out of town grocery firms are moving into town centres
  • Rise in  multichannel retailing, e.g. Halford’s – close some stores, put more business online
  • Increase in home delivery, click and collect online orders is GOOD for retail centres, brings people in
  • There is a need for an online sales tax – playing field not level at present
  • Big chains are looking to have fewer outlets
  • White goods, record shops, bookshops, multiple women’s clothes retailers, photographic goods shops are all seeing declining sales
  • There are increasing sales figures from hairdressers, estate agents, coffee shops, confectioners, charity shops and hearing aid suppliers (sound familiar?)
  • If there is only one specialist outlet in a town e.g. a women’s clothing shop, then it won’t attract customers – people like to know there are goods at  two or three different shops before they are tempted to make the journey to a retail centre so that they can browse and compare.

Why do landlords leave shops empty?

  • some are waiting for a particular tenant
  • some are waiting for next door shop to expand into their property
  • some make enough money from flats above,  fitting the place out and paying legal fees is cost prohibitive

I was interested in two more points.

Charity shops – are much more likely to be able to afford to move into premises with high rents as they pay heavily subsidised rates, pay very little for goods to sell, and are largely staffed by unpaid volunteers. Seven retail businesses in Wantage wanted to move into a high rent location but it went to a charity because they could afford it

There is a lot of interest in pop up shops – a significant proportion of those expressing interest already run small start-up online businesses and want display space in a retail unit

 

Lots of issues here to reflect on in relation to the shopping centre in Headington! I’m sure these will be picked up by the Headington Neighbourhood Forum!

 

 

Potholes and the Oxford £ up for debate at our next Ward Focus Meeting

Our guest speakers at our next WFM on Wed 10 July will be:

Shaun Hatton, Oxfordshire County Council Highways Dept who will speak on potholes and road repairs in Headington

Abi Adams and Peter LeFort, Community Action Groups Oxfordshire, who will speak on the Oxford Pound

 

Our next Headington Ward Focus meeting will be held on Wednesday 10 July at Headington Baptist Church Hall, Old High Street, from 6.00 – 8.00pm.  This meeting is informal in that you are welcome to drop in or out at any point in the evening.

Admission is free. There will be an open session for you to raise any issue. All welcome!

 

If you would like to contact your councillors for advice on any issue please contact David on 07980 894147 david.rundle@oxfordlibdems.org.uk or Ruth on 07789 368300 ruth.wilkinson@oxfordlibdems.org.uk

Share your views on the future of Oxpens

Oxford City Council is launching a public consultation on a planning document that will help shape the future of Oxpens.

The Oxpens site, between Oxford Railway Station, the Westgate Centre and the River Thames, represents one of the most significant development opportunities in the city centre and has the potential to make a valuable contribution to the life and economy of the local area and Oxford as a whole.

The document, known as the Oxpens Masterplan Supplementary Planning Document (SPD), will help to establish appropriate uses for the Oxpens site, which could include houses and flats, offices, research & development (R&D) space, local amenities, green open space, a hotel and a public square. The development is also expected to bring regeneration benefits for neighbouring residents, such as improved public transport and better vehicle, cycle and pedestrian links to the city and surrounding areas.

Members of the public are invited to comment on the Oxpens SPD for a six-week period, from Monday 17 June until Monday 29 July 2013. This feedback will influence the extent and composition of the new neighbourhood at Oxpens.

To participate in this consultation please take a few minutes to respond to the questionnaire online or download a print version at www.oxford.gov.uk/oxpenssurvey. This consultation will be available from 9.30am on Monday 17 June. The full Oxpens SPD and related documents, such as the Strategic Environmental Assessment, will be available to download atwww.oxford.gov.uk/oxpensspd and print copies of the SPD will be available at Oxford City Council’s Customer Service Centre at St. Aldate’s Chambers and at the Central Library.


There will be a public exhibition showing extracts from the SPD at the rear of the Customer Service Centre at St Aldate’s Chambers from Monday 1 July to Friday 5 July, 8am to 6pm. All are welcome to attend and print copies of the questionnaire will be available to complete and submit on site.

Latest licensing application – 24/7 sale of alcohol?

There is an application for a new premises licence by the owners of Londis, 116-120 London Road.

The application is: “To extend the hours for sale of alcohol (off sales only) to 24 hours a day Monday to Sunday”

You may send in written representations to the City Council by 7 May 2013. The address for these is The Licensing Authority, Oxford City Council St. Aldates Chambers, 109 St Aldates, Oxford OX1 1DS

Alternatively you can email your comments to

licensing@oxford.gov.uk

quoting application reference number 13/00860/PREM

New licensing application – Coco Noir

An application has been made for a new premises licence at Coco Noir. Comments should be lodged with the City Council by Wed 24 October

Application reference number
 Address of premises Ward Details
12/03336/PREM Coco Noir,
77A London Road, Headington, Oxford,
OX3 9AA		 Headington  Application for a New Premises Licence: The application is to for the sale of alcohol for consumption off the premises Monday to Saturday from 10.00 hours to 20.00 hours and Sundays 10.00 hours to 19.00 hours.
Name of applicant/club
Mr Majid Yazdani and  Mrs Sarah Lowe
Deadline for representations to be received (All representations must be made in writing): 24/10/2012
Address for representations to be sent: The Licensing Authority, Oxford City Council St Aldates Chambers, 109 St Aldates, Oxford, OX1 1DS, 
or by email to: licensing@oxford.gov.uk 
Representations received from:  –
Licensing sub-committee hearing required:  – Date of licensing sub-committee hearing:  –
Decision:  – Additional conditions imposed:  –
The application and public register may be inspected at: (Please quote the Application Reference Number when making your enquiries): The Licensing Authority, Oxford City Council, St Aldates Chambers, 109 St Aldates, Oxford, OX1 DS or on ourLicensing Applications Search page.
It is an offence knowingly or recklessly to make a false statement in connection with an application and the maximum fine for which a person is liable on summary conviction for the offence