Category: Thame news

Thame pub’s Sunday roasts make Observer food awards

THE Thatch in Thame has continued its winning streak by once again being recognised in some of the country’s top food and drink awards, after being voted one of the best places to eat and drink in The Observer Food Monthly Awards.

The Thatch crew celebrate

The Thame gastro pub learned on Sunday that it had been given the ‘thumbs-up’ by readers of The Observer, when it was named Runner-up in Best Sunday Lunch and Best Place to Drink in the south, in this year’s awards.

General manager Evelin Rae and her team were quick to celebrate after being given the news this weekend that they had been singled out for praise for the third time, in these high profile, national awards. She and the team kicked off their day with a well-deserved glass of bubbly, before getting ready for a busy Sunday service.

“This Sunday was already shaping up to be a good one, with a full reservations book and the chefs in early as usual to get their prep done for Sunday lunch – joints roasting slowly in the oven and Yorkshires rising to perfection,” said Evelin. “Things suddenly went from good to better, when the Sunday papers landed on the doormat and I nervously leafed through The Observer Food Monthly Magazine.

“Imagine my delight when I came to the news that we had been named runner-up in not one but two categories – ones close to our heart – Sunday lunch and as a rather good watering-hole,” she continued. “I was absolutely thrilled, and couldn’t wait to share the news with the team.

“We all work very hard to make The Thatch the place it is – somewhere you can enjoy good food and drink with great friendly service to match – and it’s down to the team that we have done so well. And also to our great guests and readers of the magazine who voted for us again, and we thank them all.”

Now in their 13th year, The Observer Food Monthly Awards reward the finest in British food and drink. They are voted for by readers and a judging panel, and champion the best producers, restaurants, retailers and bloggers in the UK. Prizes are presented at an awards celebration in London co-hosted by Observer writer Jay Rayner and Great British Bake Off host Sue Perkins.

“We’ve done a lot over the last couple of years to make our roasts the best, and it’s great to have this recognised,” added Evelin. “The atmosphere in the pub on Sundays is now always fantastic, with a real warm and friendly buzz and The Thatch has become known locally as a great place to get together with friends and family for a great Sunday lunch – people flock to us from miles around. Make sure you join them soon!”

To book a table for Sunday lunch or lunch or dinner any other day of the week, go to www.thethatchthame.co.uk. The Thatch is at 29-30 Lower High Street, Thame, Oxon, OX9 2AA. Tel: 01844 214340.

SOURCE: Contributed

19/10/2016
Police alert after burglary in Thame

THAMES Valley Police is appealing for witnesses following a burglary from a building site in Aylesbury Road, Thame.

Between 4.30pm on Saturday (15/10) and 7.30am on Monday (17/10) offender(s) gained entry to the Lashlake House secure building site, gained access to the office store building and stole plant equipment and tools.

Anyone who may have seen any suspicious looking people or vehicles in the area or have any information relating to this message please call the Police via the 24 hour non-emergency telephone number 101.

Alternatively if you have information but wish to remain anonymous, please call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 or online www.crimestoppers-org.uk. No personal details are taken, information is not traced or recorded and you will not go to court.

19/10/2016
Thame swimmers bring home memorial championship

SATURDAY, October 15, saw a squad fromThame Swimming Club head for the Natalie Barry Open Meet at Bletchley Swimming Club – and come home as champions!

Natalie Barry was a young, fit and healthy Bletchley & District Swimming Club swimmer who represented her club many times. After a normal day and evening she went to bed like she did every other night but sadly this was her last day as she did not wake from her sleep – so to honour her short life the Natalie Barry Gala was put together.

Four other clubs joined Thame at Bletchley for a great day of competitive swimming. With many of Thame’s swimmers having competed a few weeks prior, there was a lot of talk about pb’s and medals. With determination in their eyes, one by one they took to the blocks. With many of them taking seconds off their entry times it was great to see so many smiling faces in camp Thame. Notable swims were evident from many of our swimmers with a special mention to Matthew Stamp for taking a fabulous 11 seconds off his 100m breaststroke PB time.

With the medal table growing race by race, Thame found themselves in second place over all by the end of Session two. As Session three got under way the, swimmers did what they do best and that’s swim their hearts out. As the last event of the day got underway, two of Thame’s Group two swimmers took to the starting blocks for the 50m freestyle grudge match.
Murray Wakefield and Szymon Siuta were entered with almost identical entry times and thus were placed side-by-side in Lanes six and seven. With both swimmers turning together at the 25m mark, they were neck-and-neck all the way to the finish with Murray just pipping Szymon to the post in a time of 35.09 to Szymon’s 35.72. It was a great race that saw every Thame swimmer shouting them on all the way.

Marcus Birmingham brought the day to a close with a blistering 50m freestyle swim taking Gold in a time of 26.76.

All that was left was to wait for the final team results to come in … So can we all stand and give all 36 swimmers a big round of applause and congratulate them in becoming the 2016 Natalie Barry Open Champions. Yes we won!

A Thame Swiming Pool spokesperson said: “We would like to thank coaches Iain Phillips, Karen Powell and Lucy North and Team Manager Geraldine Dodds – along with all the officials and time keepers for making it possible for Thame to bring a fantastic squad to this worthwhile gala.”

SOURCE: Contributed by Iain Phillips –

19/10/2016
Car crash driver rescued through hatch-back

A YOUNG driver had a lucky escape today (18/10) when her car left the road and ended up in a hedge. At 08:32am Oxfordshire County Council Fire and Rescue Service were called to a report of a car crash on Chinnor Road between Towersey and Thame.

Firecrew using spcialist cutting equipment to release a trapped passenger (Image for illustration only)

Fire Engines from Thame and Aylesbury were immediately mobilised and arrived at the scene where they were faced with a car which had left the road and ended up on its side in the hedgerow. Trauma-trained Firefighters working with South Central Ambulance Service Paramedics managed to free the driver and take her out through the rear hatch-back.

The Incident Commander, Thame Watch Manager Andy Ford, said: “Initially access to the car could only be made through the boot due to the thick undergrowth and the position of the car on its side. It was very fortunate that the driver was not seriously hurt and was able to be taken out of the back of the car after folding all the seats down. The drivers injuries could have been a lot worse had they not been wearing their seat belt.”

He added: “With the colder wetter weather approaching, road conditions are starting to change and I urge drivers to take extra care. It is currently ‘Tyre Safety Month’ and an opportune moment to remind drivers to ensure that their tyres are in roadworthy condition, tyre pressures are correct and tread depth is adequate.”

Visit www.365alive.co.uk for road safety advice. If you have a road safety question please call the free phone community safety helpline on 08000 325 999 or email: community.safety@oxfordshire.gov.uk

NB Have you ever considered becoming an On Call Fire Fighter? The fire service is recruiting at Thame Fire Station.
https://m.oxfordshire.gov.uk/cms/content/call-firefighters

18/10/2016
Thame’s ‘High street hero’ Chris need YOUR vote!

POPULAR Thame market trader, Chris Hurdman, has today been named as one of Britain’s high street heroes by being shortlisted in the third annual Great British High Street competition.

Market Trader Steve Slade (left), Chris Hurdman and Helen Johns

Chris, who is Secretary of The Thame Market Co-operative, has been named as one of the top three, with Nicola Martin (Ashton under Lyne) and Beverley Milner Simonds (Burnham on Sea, Somerset) in the market traders category. Now, to be crowned champion, he needs your votes. Between now and November 18, the public has the chance to vote directly for Chris – you can cast your vote once a day, for free, via http://thegreatbritishhighstreet.co.uk.

One of the most successful market traders of his generation, Chris has been involved in market trading in Oxfordshire for 31 years. He has been secretary of the Thame Market Traders Cooperative, as well as an active stall holder, for 20 years. Thame Weekly Charter Market was the first cooperatively run trader-operated market in the country. Although several markets have disappeared in recent times, the Thame Market remains buoyant with growing turnover over the past three years (Thame Market Survey 2015).

If Chris wins, not only will he get a share of a £10,000 prize pot, he’ll win expert training from Google’s digital taskforce for shops, bars and restaurants and a trip to Twitter UK’s London office to further boost his social media skills. The public’s votes count for 50% of the result. The other 50% will be made up of scores from an expert judging panel, based on applications received and additional activity on social media which promotes Chris’s contribution to Thame’s High Street.

The Great British High Street Competition 2016 celebrates the amazing work that is being done to revive, adapt and diversify the nation’s high streets. It’s one of a number of initiatives helping to champion high streets as cornerstones of the community. This year’s competition saw a record 900 entries across 14 categories. New for 2016, the competition has introduced the High Street Hero awards. With categories for market traders, store managers or employees from national or independent retailers, and for under 25s, high streets are able to enter individuals who are making a difference to their local community.

High Streets Minister Andrew Percy said: “Our high streets are the life and soul of towns, villages and cities across the country and the record number of competition entries, this year is proof of their continued importance to local life. From North London to Northumberland, great work is underway to adapt the high street to the needs of modern life. I want to wish all who’ve entered the very best of luck.”

On learning he is a finalist, Chris Hurdman said: “I‘m bowled over to be shortlisted in the top three in the market traders category of the Great British High Streets Competition. I’m honoured and humbled to have been chosen by the people of Thame as an award candidate. I believe there’s a renewed buzz on our high streets and this competition shows that Thame with its market has the best ideas, innovation and creativity. Now we just need everyone to show their support and get voting.”

To go online to cast your vote, visit the Great British High Street website http://thegreatbritishhighsteeet.co.uk/high-street-of-the-year-award and follow @TheGBHighSt on Twitter.

18/10/2016
VOTE NOW – to help Thame win the Great British High Street Competition 2016!

THAME has today been shortlisted as one of the country’s best high streets in the third, annual Great British High Street competition.

Thame High Street is one of Britain’s top three in the small market towns category. This follows Thame’s success last year, when the town was one of ten in the country to gain a Rising Star award.

To be crowned champion in its category this year, Thame needs your votes. The public has the chance to vote directly for their best-loved high street online. Between now and November 18, you can cast your vote once a day, for free via http://thegreatbritishhighstreet.co.uk

hame’s Town Clerk (third R) Graham Hunt, with Helen Johns (1st L) and members of ‘Team Thame’ celebrating this morning

If Thame wins, not only will we get a share of a prize pot worth £100,000, but we’ll receive expert training from Google’s digital taskforce for Thame’s shops, bars and restaurants and a trip to Twitter UK’s London office to further boost social media skills. Previous winners have found that winning not only boosts town pride, it also has a tangible economic impact with increased footfall.

This year’s competition saw a record 900 entries across 14 categories, with new categories for individuals and shops. This is a big increase over last year, which saw 230 entries and attracted over 200,000 public votes.

The Great British High Street Competition celebrates the great work that is being done to revive, adapt and diversify the nation’s high streets. It is one of a number of initiatives helping to champion high streets as cornerstones of the community. The Government is helping local business communities adapt to the changing face of high streets, with a £6.7 billion package of business rates support to cut the rates for 900,000 businesses – with 600,000 now paying none at all.

High Streets Minister Andrew Percy said: “Our high streets are the life and soul of towns, villages and cities across the country and the record number of competition entries this year is proof of their continued importance to local life. From North London to Northumberland, great work is underway to adapt the high street to the needs of modern life. I want to wish all who’ve entered the very best of luck.”

The Thame town bid team is being coordinated by Sonja Francis and Helen Johns. They said, “We’re proud that Thame is one of Britain’s best high streets and hope this will be a real boon for the town. We’re pulling out all the stops to make sure local people know about Thame’s shortlisting. Now we just need everyone to show their support and get voting.”

The public’s votes count for 50% of the result. The other 50% comes from individual inspections of each town by the judging panel, made up of industry leaders from across retail, property and business, including Boots, M & S, the Post Office and Holland & Barrett.

To go online to cast your vote, visit the Great British High Street website http://thegreatbritishhighstreet.co.uk/high-street-of-the-year-award and follow @TheGBHighSt on Twitter.

And get tweeting and facebooking your own posts and pictures of what you love about Thame high street.

18/10/2016
Police alert: Suspicious males in Thame

THIS is a message sent via Thames Valley Country Watch. This information has been sent on behalf of Thames Valley Police, by PCSO Ryan Dollery.

“We have received reports this morning of two suspicious males driving a blue van around Thame. The males have been seen to take items from skips. If you see these males please call 101 with details.”

17/10/2016
Film: Life in a Danish Commune in the 1970s

THIS month’s screening by Thame Cinema For All, on Friday, October 21, is a new Danish film, The Commune, a certificate 15 film, set in a commune the 1970s – and it’s not all free love and fun, as it turns out – though there is some of that!

The Commune is Directed by Thomas Vinterberg, and stars Trine Dyrholm, Ulrich Thomsen, Fares Fares, Julie Agnete Vang, Lars Ranthe, Helene Reingaard Neumann, Mads Reuther, Martha Sofie Wallstrøm Hansen, Magnus Millang and Anne Gry Henningsen. The setting is Copenhagen, the 1970s. Anna, a successful television journalist, and Erik, who lectures in architecture, inherit a rambling and capacious suburban home when Erik’s father dies. Initially intent on selling it, Erik is persuaded by Anna that the house represents an opportunity for them to revitalise their lives and stave off the torpor of affluent mid-life: they will turn it into a commune, and invite their witty, creative, unconventional friends to live with them.

So far so happy, the mood is celebratory, and frequently comic. The friends unite around the dining room table, agree house rules, share cooking, much wine, laughter and agreeable chaos. But their experiment in collective living soon shows signs of strain: issues of ownership, privacy, parenting, boundaries and finances require constant and sometimes tense negotiation, the situation proving particularly testy when Erik and Anna’s marriage falters and Erik begins a relationship with one of his students.

The film explores what happens when the group is required to accommodate the new addition to their number, and Anna must endure the hurt and humiliation of her very private loss under collective scrutiny, without control of her domestic space. What begins as something warm and nostalgic (the flares, the facial hair, the nudity, the fags, the décor…) becomes a moving and compelling dramatic examination of the tension between lofty idealism and the implications for the individual of collective living and sexual freedoms, with a storming performance from Dyholm as Anna, the emotional and moral heart of the narrative. Watch the trailer here.

SOURCE: Contributed by Catriona Gilmour Hamilton

17/10/2016
Chinnor dominates at Barnes

THE Chinnor pack were dominant throughout the game, with their powerful scrummage causing Barnes many problems, as Chinnor fashioned a 61-28 win away at Barnes.

The visitors superiority was illustrated early on, when, from a second rolling maul in quick succession, the ball was laid back for Greg Goodfellow to put Danny Barnes in for the first try after just two minutes. With most of the action in Barnes territory, Chinnor squandered a few opportunities before setting up a scrummage just metres out from the try line. With Barnes collapsing the scrum a number of times, the referee had no alternative but to award a penalty try.

The game then opened up which suited Barnes. They showed they are quick on the counter attack and can move the ball skilfully at pace.This was illustrated when in the space of three minutes, they scored two tries.The first by their elusive centre Tom O’Toole, followed by Ciaran Smith exploiting a bit of sloppiness by Chinnor to go over for the second. Both were converted by O’Toole.

It was then Chinnor’s turn to defend. During this five minute phase they illustrated why they have the best defensive record in the league, showing formidable organisation and commitment.This had its reward, when after breaking out, Junior Fatialofa took his man on the outside to go over just on the stroke of half-time. With Bertie Hopkin adding the conversion from the touchline, Chinnor lead 19-14 at the interval.

Chinnor took control straight from the restart when first Kieran Goss sprinted over from a well worked move, quickly followed by George Messum, forcing his way over. When C.J Osazuwa scored in similar fashion minutes later and Bertie Hopkin converting all three, Chinnor had scored 21 points in a ten minute spell and it was game over. Barnes showed a lot of spirit when, after this onslaught, O’Toole scored from long range and converted his try. George Messum then powered his way over for his second try, again converted by Hopkin. Barnes were not to be denied and a delightful chip over the Chinnor defence by Jamie Collins bounced kindly and put him in for Barnes’ fourth try and bonus point. O’Toole added the extras.
With Bevon Armitage scoring and then setting up Tom Price to go over under the posts, Chinnor had added another nine tries to their already formidable total. Bertie Hopkin, in converting these last two, had kicked 8 out of 9 possible conversions.

Chinnor’s fitness, power and organisation once again showed through. George Messum’s presence in defence and with ball in hand was immense. His all-round presence in the side will be missed as he leaves rugby. We wish him well in his new career.
This was an impressive win for Chinnor but many sides will go to Barnes this season and come away second best.

17/10/2016
One lane of M40 closed for repairs after accident

M40 northbound between J8A and J9 | Northbound | Road Works
17-10-2016 12:55 PM BST : Status : Pending. Lane Closures : Lane one will be closed. Schedule : From 22:00 on 17 October 2016 to 06:00 on 18 October 2016. Location : The M40 northbound between junctions J8A and J9 .

Lanes Closed : There will be one of three lanes closed. Reason : Roadworks are planned.

17/10/2016