Abingdon Road Closed Due To Flooding

According to the Oxford City website the Abingdon Road was closed in the early hours of the morning due to flooding.  This is the second time this has happened in the last month, but it is not a new event as this postcard taken in 1894 suggests.  Taken outside the Fox and Hound which is now being converted in to a Tesco Metro, it clearly shows a lot of water in the area.  With all the records and history of events in Oxford you have to ask yourself the question, why didn't the council in the day say no to development in this area?

Summer Rain In Oxford

For the last couple of days we have been having rain in the afternoon or over night.  Nice bright but cloudy warm mornings and then in the afternoon heavy rain for about two hours.  So if you are visiting Oxford for the holidays this Summer remember your umbrella.

Libbe

Long time visitors to Oxford Daily Photo will know that I have a fascination of number plates and what they all mean.  Today I spotted this one LI BBE which I think is a great plate, but I am not sure if the owner's name would be Li Bbe?  Perhaps Libby?

Chocolate Market Hits Broad Street

Bit of a bad weekend to have an outdoor market, however that did not stop the Oxford Chocolate Market on Broad Street this weekend.  Stalls set up in this busy pedestrian area of Oxford selling everything you could imagine relating to Chocolate, I even managed to have a couple of free samples, the market will be here all weekend.

Grey In Bury Knowle Park

Out for a run this morning in Headington and as you can see from this photo taken in Bury Knowle Park the weather that we had at the beginning of the week has gone. I have not been in this park before and this morning it was empty, apart from one dog walker.

Flooded Oxford Cricket Ground

Brasenose College Cricket pavilion is completely surrounded by water this evening as water from the River Thames engulfs the grounds.  There is a lot of water around Oxford at the moment, and I think my photos for the next few days are going to be of this flood.  It did not rain a lot today, however the forecast for tomorrow is more rain, so this is not going to help.  I heard that those in the Botley area have been advised to move items of value to higher parts of your house, that is not a good sign.

River Cherwell Is High At The Moment

This might be one of those photo's that you will have to click on to see it in it's full scale, cause the River Cherwell this morning was very high.  I took this photo this morning while out jogging with my iPhone I could not believe how much water was around Oxford at the moment.  I know other parts of the county are experiencing flooding at the moment, however I think if we get more rain in Oxford our Rivers will also start to become dangerously close to causing property damage.

Sweaty Betty Opens In Rainy Oxford

We have a new store on the High Street, Sweaty Betty has opened up in what used to be Odd Bins store.  Not exactly sure what this store is about, looks like a women's exercises clothing store, didn't go in but from the outside looks like it will be popular in Oxford.

Heavy Rain Today In Oxford

If you were out in Cornmarket like I was this afternoon, an umbrella would have been a wise accessory to have, as the rain was very consistent and heavy at times. Not a good day to be visiting Oxford if you are were tourist, indoor actives today unless you like the rain and getting wet.

Protesting Oxford Style

Why can't everyone around the world who is upset about anything protest like this?  This afternoon, at one of Oxford busiest intersections a group of muslim men stood in the rain, in silence holding colourful sheets of cardboard with simple messages of protest.  They made there point of view, without upsetting the whole of the city, without hurting anyone or destroying any property.  These guys need to be congratulated for the manner in which they have made a point.

Still Raining In Oxford

I really do feel for the visitors who only have one day to visit Oxford when it is raining, as Oxford is so beautiful in the Summer.  Just hope that this group of students meeting up in Bonn Square are staying for a few days and the weather improves so they can see what Oxford is like when the Sun is shining.

Great Weather For Slugs

The slugs of Oxford and England for that matter have had one of the best Summers on record.  With all this rain, and longer days the grass and plants of Oxford have been growing very well, and this has meant that the slugs and snail have also had a great time.  When out walking about after a little rain you can see slugs and snails everywhere.  They are looking very full as well, not sure how long a slug lives?

Four Weeks To Save Manet’s Portrait

The Ashmolean Museum is looking for an additional £595000 over the next four weeks to be able to purchase Manet's portrait of Mademoiselle Claus.  To help raise the profile of this campaign, which has reached 92% of it's goal, the Museum has placed 10 copies of the painting around Oxford with a hope of raising the final amount to keep this painting in the UK. If you would like to donate, please follow this link, and help keep this painting for the UK public.

There is a law in the UK that if a work of art of national importance is sold to an oversea's buyer, local museums or galleries have the right to buy it at 25% of it's current value to keep it in the country and on public display. The painting has been sold for £28million to an oversea's buyer, so this is why the Ashmolean is hoping to raise the remaining $£500000 of the nearly £7million needed to keep this painting in the UK.  

Wettest Day In Oxford For A Summers Day

Today must have been one of the wettest Summers day that we have ever had in Oxford. It rained non stop all day, and with all this water around the roads around the city centre started to fill up.  This photo was taken this afternoon close to the Oxford train station in Becket Street were a large pool of water had completely filled the street.

Union Flag Umbrella's At Republic

Yes it is still raining in Oxford, which is not that good for the tourist trade, this should be the start of our busy tourist season, however I am not sure the weather is helping.  I did find this photo a little funny, with these visiting French students out the front of the clothing store Republic all with their Union Flag umbrella's. Ah, the Republic v's the Monarchy.

Notice From Thames Water

Noticed this large advert on the side of a house at the end of South Parade informing us that a couple of wet weeks may not be enough to counter the two years of dry weather.  Like the message, but I am not sure that everyone will agree. With all the rivers still high, why can't be store this water that is running away?

Happy To Help ITV Filming In Oxford

Did anyone see this guy sitting in the Happy To Help box in front of Carfax Tower? When I first saw it I was thinking it was a new tourist information centre for the Summer, as you know we get a lot of visitors to Oxford during the Summer, but I was wrong.
See the black tent that looks to a workman shelter with the cones around it, there is a TV camera in there and a few more hidden around the place, as this whole set up was part of a new blooper/set up comedy show that is to be shown on ITV.  Now I am not sure what the show will be called, but I know that it have been filmed in a few locations around the country and it was in Oxford this week.  Not sure how successful it was with the weather we have been having.  Anyone know anymore about this programme?

Burger War About To Start In Oxford

I couple of weeks ago I posted a photo of a new burger restaurant Byron see here, and that it was going to be only a couple of doors down from Gourmet Burger Kitchen, well look what is happening to the GBK, it also is under refurbishment. However from the looks of the amount of work still needed at the Byron site, I would say that the GBK will be reopened shortly.

We Need More Rain

Not the clearest photo's, but I was trying to get a person with an umbrella walking past this Oxford Mail both with the headline, "We Need More Rain - Despite Flood's" It is just a little crazy here at the moment,  we have had the wrong rain the Environment Agency is saying and even with the River very high and flooding in area's we still need more rain. I say capture this flood water and store it!

Short Bursts Of Rain

The weather is crazy at the moment, we are having periods during the day where is it lovely and everyone is walking around like it is a nice Spring day in the sun shine, and then very quickly it is raining so hard that the water can not get away.  Just look at this giant puddle that is car has ended up in.  Crazy because after this intense rain, it is back to nice Spring day.