Covid-19
There are further signs that the Government is keen to improve our lot, with the announcement of plans to go ahead with the easing of restrictions for wedding receptions, sporting events and some indoor performances. All the measures that were put on hold two weeks ago will now take effect as of today, August 15. This will apply across England, except for areas under local lockdown.
Wedding receptions of up to 30 people will now be allowed, as will the reopening of casinos, bowling alleys and skating rinks. Beauty salons, tattoo studios and spas will be able to offer all close “services and treatments”.
Plans to start indoor performances with socially-distanced audiences, and pilots of larger gatherings in sports venues and conference centres will also resume.
Allowing spectators at sporting events is planned for October 1. Pilots at the Goodwood races, the world snooker final and county cricket games earlier this month were suspended, after the Government put the brakes on easing lockdown measures given concerns over a second wave. In addition, indoor play and soft play centres will reopen, provided they have in place the necessary coronavirus precautions.
Meanwhile those returning today after 4.30pm from France, the Netherlands, Malta and some Caribbean countries will need to quarantine themselves for 14 days on their return. Although annoying for the individuals affected and a set-back for international travel, it is being imposed for understandable reasons.
Road Sweeping THIS WEDNESDAY – Advanced Warning
The roads in Stratton Audley will be swept on Wednesday 19th August from 8am and as usual all residents with vehicles on the streets are asked to move them the night before or when they hear the road sweeper vehicle during the morning, to make the collection of dirt & debris as effective as possible.
Monday Night is Persian Night
Mitra served up her Persian food again on Monday from a stall outside the Red Lion and it went down well with a steady stream of locals. She’ll be serving up again between 5 & 8pm each Monday until further notice. No pre-orders, just turn up. There’ll probably be a short wait but it’s enjoyable as there are bound to be other people ….. at a distance of course!
If you need to contact Mitra you can text her on 07444 364789.
The Red Lion
The Red Lion’s new website www.redlionstrattonaudley.com is going live soon with all the news and events happening at the pub and in the food shack, but in the meantime see also the village Facebook page. There’s a steak night every fortnight, tapas evenings and the regular fish & chips or “Fizz and chips” night on Fridays from 5pm-8pm. For bookings, phone 01869 277225.
Opening hours are:
Monday: closed
Tuesday – Friday: 3-11pm
Saturday: 12-11pm
Sunday: 12-9pm
Stratton Audley Barn
The café is now open Tuesday to Sunday 10-4pm serving coffee, paninis, cakes and gelato ice cream. It’s takeout only to the designated seating area provided in the paddock with tables, parasols and a few Bell tents. The shop is also open.
Surface Drain Clearing
On Thursday this week the County Council sent a team to clean out the surface drains in the village. Thanks go to them for their good timing given the thundery weather. There’s nothing like a good flushing!
New Dog Waste Bin
Great news for dog owners – a new waste bin has been installed on the Bicester Road at the entrance to the village. Up until now this has been the only road in the village that did not have one. So no excuse to foul up now!
No 18 Bus Route Restarts
The once-a-day no 18 bus service courtesy of Langston & Tasker between Bicester and Buckingham has returned to normal service through the village. It leaves Stratton Audley for Bicester at 10.20 and returns at 13.15, Monday to Friday.
Collection Point for disposal of Ink Jet cartridges
Rachel Dewhurst, a resident in the village has suggested the idea of a central collection point for ink-jet cartridges which are generally quite difficult to dispose of in an environmentally friendly way. She has placed a collection box in the bus shelter on the Stoke Lyne Road and has agreed to get them recycled with all proceeds going to the RSPB. This could be a useful service for those who like me feel guilty about putting them in the general waste bin.
International British Cabaret Star to Perform at the Red Lion
Our very own beloved Dillie Keane has decided to put on a promoters hat and organise a concert for Thursday September 3rd in Stratton Audley. She is presenting the amazing Barb Jungr who is a phenomenal cabaret artist and singer/songwriter who has global appeal. There will be two acts, with a 20 minute interval, and the show is expected to be over by 9.45pm latest. Latecomers will be admitted but only between songs
Barb is known for her amazing renditions of modern pop songs. Instead of the usual Cole Porter/Noel Coward fare, she has concentrated on more recent performers and her programme will contain songs by Bob Dylan, Leonard Cohen and other more contemporary songwriters. Check her out at http://www.barbjungr.co.uk/
Tickets are booked on a first-come first-served basis and are of course limited because of social distancing. Although not essential, people are encouraged to book in bubbles of 4 or 6. To apply please email Dillie on dillie@dilliekeane.co.uk or call 07968 393 428 stating the number of tickets required and she will then send you her bank details for payments. In return, personalised tickets will be sent out in advance.
….and remember this has all only been made possible thanks to Covid-19!
Continuing to Improve Communication
As you know during the Covid-19 pandemic, the Parish Council stopped delivering its regular quarterly newsletter by door drop, and instead introduced a weekly news update in order to keep up with the rapidly changing situation. At the start of lockdown, residents were encouraged to supply their email addresses which doubled the size of the database and made it viable to reach most of the households in the Parish. The news is also posted weekly on the www.strattonaudley.org so do check it out. The idea has been well received, although there are still people who are not on the list who may be feeling left out. So if you know someone in this category, please encourage them to supply their email address or alternatively print off a copy of the newsletter for them. Thank you to everyone for your support and feed-back, and please continue to spread the word.