Wednesday 14th January 2026
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There’s nothing wrong with a regional accent

Chloe Pomfret
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There’s nothing wrong with a regional accent

When I started university, I kept hearing the same question over and over again. By the end of Freshers’ week, I started to understand that “sorry, I don’t understand what you’re saying” wasn’t a sign I was speaking too quietly. It was a comment on my accent. 

After three years of accent discrimination at Oxford, I did what any sensible individual would do – I made a TikTok complaining about it. Half a million views later, I had comments and messages from people who had faced similar experiences at universities all across the UK. The comments were all too revealing about the negative stereotypes surrounding regional accents with comments on “Northern accents [being] funny” and “chav” accents being incomprehensible. 

Accent bias remains deeply embedded in academic institutions, where a hierarchy of accent prestige continues to shape perceptions. Unfortunately, the way we speak still plays a significant role in how we are judged, and within higher education, students with regional accents frequently encounter discriminatory attitudes. A 2022 report by the Sutton Trust examining accent bias and public perception found that accents linked to England’s former industrial cities, such as Manchester, Liverpool, and Birmingham, continue to attract “working-class” stereotypes and are viewed more negatively. The report also highlights those with accents associated with an ethnic minority identity, such as Afro-Caribbean and Indian English, are also subject to significant prejudice.

Students from London and the South dominate Oxford admissions, with 58.6% of UK offers going to students from these regions. Students from the Midlands, North of England, Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland are particularly underrepresented, and at an elite and prestigious university like Oxford, they often experience prejudice towards their accents, both academically and socially. At the end of my first year in Oxford, the comments on my Mancunian accent started to affect my self esteem. I became anxious to speak in tutorials and when meeting new people. 

With only 7.6% of Oxford students coming from the North West, I struggled to find others with a similar accent. I tried to slow down when I spoke, emphasising my h’s, and would apologise when people told me they couldn’t understand what I had said, thinking it would be easier to blend in rather than stand out in this Southern crowd. So, I was rather confused when I went home to visit my friends, only to be told my accent had changed and I sounded “posh”, even though my accent was apparently all too noticeable at Oxford. 

However, Oxford isn’t the only academic institution where students are facing accent bias. If you follow the world of StudyTok, you may have come across a fellow Northern friend of mine, Robyn (@robynlikeshistory), currently studying Theology at Durham University. In the comments of my TikTok, she shared that her Northern accent has been mocked whilst studying at a university in the North. We spoke about her experience of accent discrimination in an academic setting, how she had been told in seminars that people could not understand her, and the regional split between colleges, with one of Durham’s colleges being “considered so posh and private school and Southern that it’s genuinely a big trend for state educated & Northern students to rank it last”. 

Robyn’s experience of facing discrimination from university peers toward the local accent she grew up with, even in the place where it originates, isn’t an uncommon one. Scottish students at the University of Edinburgh recently launched the Scottish Social Mobility Society in response to a long history of “deep-rooted classism and exclusion faced by Scottish students”. Robyn’s experience, alongside those of Scottish students at Edinburgh, makes it clear that accent bias is far from rare. According to the Sutton Trust, “self-consciousness and anxiety about accent bias are highest during university, particularly when approaching the end of a degree and facing entry into a chosen career”. The psychological impact of accent bias is something we carry with us beyond university and academic institutions have to work to eradicate it. 

Put simply, my accent isn’t simply a way of speaking; it’s a signifier of my upbringing and something I choose to celebrate as a symbol of where I call home. I am proud to be a Mancunian and I love my Northern accent. I wish those ignorant notions of what an ‘educated’ student should sound like hadn’t impacted me as much as they did, but, in my final year at Oxford, I am learning what it means to enter a room and face that prejudice. More importantly, I have learned how to respond to these comments and deconstruct ideas of what a ‘well-spoken’ student sounds like.

Gérald Sibleyras: “The hardest part of it all is finding a good idea”

Yeva Kebabdijan
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Gérald Sibleyras: “The hardest part of it all is finding a good idea”

 It’s not that often that somebody tells you they first got into their profession “by accident.” However, when I began my conversation with Gérald Sibleyras, award-winning French playwright, he seemed to have no problem admitting that theatre wasn’t ever the field he wanted to pursue a career in. “I actually wanted to be a musician,” he told me, “but quite quickly realised I had no musical talent and that I found it far easier to write.  So that’s when I dabbled in different projects, starting off with the radio.” Gérald worked on these for a few years before calling his friend and simply saying, “hey, why don’t we write a play and see how it goes.” A laid-back approach, some might say, but it’s precisely this “pourquoi pas essayer et voir” mindset that makes Gérald such an engaging conversationalist – a person who has succeeded remarkably in theatre since his very first production. His first play, Le Béret de la Tortue (The Tortoise’s Beret), co-written with Jean Dell and first performed in 2000, marked the beginning of his ongoing success; since then, Gérald has written or co-written around twenty plays and adapted over ten. Notably, his comedy Le Vent Des Peupliers (Heroes) set in 1959 in a French retirement home for First World War veterans, was translated by prominent British-Czech playwright Tom Stoppard in 2005, introducing it to English theatre. 

Hearing about his different plays, prompted me to ask if he had a favourite, but Gérald told me that he doesn’t view himself as nostalgic, so: “no, I wouldn’t say I have a favourite play, I don’t look back too much, I am just happy for my plays to do well, I want them to be enjoyed.” With that being said, it’s little surprise that he finished by saying, “my favourite play is simply the next one.” 

More recently, Mon Jour de Chance (My Lucky Day), which is currently enjoying great success in Paris, is set to make its West End debut in 2026. The play will be performed in English, though the story will remain set in France. When I watched the play in late 2023, I was taken aback by its ability to have the whole auditorium – myself included – in hysterics. When we discussed social media and its influence on theatre, Gérald explained that, often, people “fall in love with individuals, their personas and that’s what they find funny. People buy tickets to go watch one-man shows and therefore it’s rarer to watch a comedy that’s created by multiple people on the stage.” However, if there’s a play that challenges this notion, it is, perhaps in an ironic sense, Gérald’s own Mon Jour de Chance. The plot follows Sébastien as he spends a weekend with his childhood friends. Guided by the roll of a die, he moves through different versions of what his life might have been. The play is creative, light-hearted but most importantly, funny. Yes – funny is the baseline requirement for a comedy – but with the rise of social media and how it impacts the culture of humour, it was refreshing to attend a play that left me feeling so amused that I wanted to watch it all over again.  

Though, despite my enthusiasm for Gérald’s play, I couldn’t help but ask him about the future of theatre – a rather heavy question. His response, however, diffused any uncertainty I could have had. “Yes, young people don’t go nearly enough to the theatre” he said, “but that doesn’t matter. We always announce the death of theatre, we did when TV began, when the internet took over and when cinema first came about. But it still exists, I don’t think it will die because nothing else can replace the theatrical experience. It is so unique, seeing people in real life on a stage- there’s nothing quite like it.”  

Feeling rather hopeful with his response, I went on to ask about his future projects. “Well,  Mon Jour de Chance is going to be turned into a movie,” he explained, “but, it’s important to note that even though I write the script, I actually have no legal control.” I wondered how this made him feel, perhaps a little protective – this sentiment was confirmed when he said, with a little chuckle, “it’s like giving your baby away.” Gérald’s honesty was refreshing and hearing his point of view as a writer, gave me an insight into those who have a lot of creative responsibility but not directive. “As a writer, you lose all your power and influence when you mix theatre with cinema unless, of course, you just do it all yourself like Woody Allen. But that’s Woody Allen, which changes everything.” That’s also said with a little chuckle.  

Based in London with his partner Sylvie Perez, who is a writer and journalist, he works on multiple projects at a time. Alongside Mon Jour de Chance’s movie adaptation, Gérald is adapting To Be or Not to Be, and writing a show on the much-loved comic series Tintin. “The hardest part of it all is finding a good idea,” he told me. “But, you can’t wait for inspiration to magically appear, you need to work and then ideas will come to you, it’s much better to push yourself. I like to think of what Picasso said, ‘inspiration exists, but it has to find you at work.’”  

When discussing his new ideas and projects, the topic of actors became highly relevant as Gérald made it clear that, for him, it was the actors who really brought his ideas, and his scripts, to life. “The best script ever written, performed by terrible actors makes an awful play. Actors change everything because a play is all about what you hear and see and how you hear and see them. They are the kings of the industry.” Gérald lauded different actors he had the opportunity of working with but also, with his usual honesty, told me, “they aren’t always nice, and sometimes very difficult to work with.”  

As our conversation came to an end, I thanked Gérald for his time and his contributions to theatre. I couldn’t help but gush over his numerous Molière nominations (and win for best adaptation) as well as his Laurence Olivier Awards. But, in a very Gérald-way, he told me, “thank you, but really, what’s so interesting and so great is theatre, not me.”  

Oxford appoints Professor Mark E. Smith as next Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Planning and Resources

Mercedes Haas
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Oxford appoints Professor Mark E. Smith as next Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Planning and Resources

The University of Oxford has confirmed that Professor Mark E. Smith will become its next Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Planning and Resources). Professor Smith will step down as President and Vice-Chancellor of the University of Southampton in May 2026 to take up the post in Oxford.

With a research career spanning more than 380 publications, he is widely regarded for his contributions to nuclear magnetic resonance and materials physics. Professor Smith has held senior leadership roles at Warwick, Lancaster, and Southampton. Currently, he chairs Advance HE’s Board, a UK-based, member-led charity focused on higher education globally, and serves on Research England’s Council.

A University spokesperson told Cherwell: “The primary responsibilities of the Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Planning and Resources) relate to providing leadership across the university in matters relating to planning, resource allocation, and the development of the University’s estate and its capital programme.”

The post involves guiding Council and the Vice-Chancellor, taking charge of key committees that oversee the University’s planning, finances, and estate, and steering the Physical Estate element of Oxford’s forthcoming Strategic Plan. The position also requires close collaboration with the Chief Financial Officer and the Chief Development Officer.

Regarding his appointment, Professor Smith told Cherwell: “It is a great honour to be able to play such a significant role at the heart of a great university, working as part of the Vice-Chancellor’s team. I am particularly drawn to the opportunity to help ensure that our resources are aligned and used to achieve the University’s strategic aims. The experience and perspective I can bring from the three universities where I have been a senior leader will I hope help me be effective in this role.”

Oxford’s Vice-Chancellor Professor Irene Tracey told Cherwell: “His years of outstanding leadership in the Higher Education sector, alongside his strategic insight and collaborative approach will be vital as we strengthen the University’s planning, resource allocation and estate development at this important moment in our evolution. Mark will play a key role in delivering our next Strategic Plan, ensuring that Oxford’s physical estate and financial sustainability continue to support our academic mission for generations to come. I look forward to working with him as we shape an Oxford that honours its heritage while confidently embracing its future.”

Professor Smith will succeed Dr David Prout, who has served as Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Planning and Resources) since 2017. Dr Prout played a central role in shaping Oxford’s long-term direction, taking responsibility for the University’s overall planning framework and the distribution of funds across divisions and departments, which together represent more than £1.3 billion a year. His portfolio also included major building and refurbishment projects, from new teaching and research spaces to upgrades to existing facilities, as well as “plans for University’s libraries and museums, and for the administrative service”. 

The appointment marks a significant moment for the University as it prepares the next Strategic Plan and continues to expand and modernise the estate. Professor Smith’s arrival is expected to shape Oxford’s long-term planning and resource strategy at a time of considerable institutional development.

German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier visits Oxford University

Conor Walsh
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German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier visits Oxford University

The Federal President of Germany Frank-Walter Steinmeier visited Oxford on Friday during a state visit to the UK. President Steinmeier attended an academic showcase at the University of Oxford’s Divinity School, and was admitted to an Honorary Degree during a ceremony in Convocation House.

During his visit to Oxford, the President was accompanied by the University’s Chancellor and Vice-Chancellor. The visit highlighted Oxford’s strong ties with German research institutions, during which President Steinmeier met with researchers from the Oxford-Berlin Partnership, an interdisciplinary partnership between Oxford University and Berlin. The partnership has generated over £17 million in funding since its creation in 2017, supporting over 1,300 researchers.

The President also met with Oxford academics involved in developing quantum and battery technologies, as well as researchers from centres including the Centre for Democratic Resilience, which studies reactive political behaviour, and the Oxford Internet Institute, which focuses on tackling the challenges presented by rapidly developing internet technologies.

Oxford’s Vice-Chancellor Irene Tracey said: “President Steinmeier’s visit is a powerful reminder of the depth of the ties between Oxford and Germany. Our collaborations stretch across disciplines – from science and technology to the humanities and social sciences – and they are strengthened by long-standing partnerships such as the Oxford–Berlin Research Partnership. It was an honour to welcome the President and First Lady to showcase the research and innovation that our academics and students advance with colleagues across Germany.”

President Steinmeier’s visit to Oxford was the final leg of his three-day state visit to the UK. Earlier in the week, the German President was hosted by Their Majesties the King and Queen, and also met with members from both Houses of Parliament.

Speaking about his visit to the University, President Steinmeier said: “Preserving one’s independence is one of academia’s noblest tasks. That is why I regard the concept of the university as numbering among the most important gifts that Europe has bestowed upon itself and the entire world. The collaboration between the University of Oxford and the Berlin universities which form the Berlin University Alliance is a prime example of the European tradition of joint research and the free exchange of knowledge beyond national borders.

“I feel deeply honoured to have been awarded an honorary doctorate by the University of Oxford today. Rest assured that I will do my best to continue promoting academia, research and inter-university collaboration.”

Reuben College fire prompts university-wide warnings on student safety

Mercedes Haas
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Reuben College fire prompts university-wide warnings on student safety

Several Oxford colleges have issued fire safety advice following a serious fire at Reuben College accommodation last week. The fire, which broke out in Reuben’s graduate accommodation at Farndon Court, destroyed one student’s bedroom and all the belongings inside it. No injuries were reported, but the building suffered significant smoke damage, and several students were forced to relocate at short notice.

According to initial investigations, the fire began when a lithium-ion battery charger, which was left plugged in on a bed, overheated and ignited. The fire alarm triggered an immediate evacuation, and the fire brigade quickly contained the blaze. Reuben College told Cherwell that the bedroom where the fire started was “badly burned” and will require extensive refurbishment. Fire protection measures, including the room’s fire door, prevented the flames from spreading further.

Other students living in the building were temporarily rehoused at St Catherine’s College, which Reuben described as offering a “warm welcome”. Two students were able to return the following day once electrical systems had been checked, while others were moved into vacant rooms in Farndon Court. The remaining affected residents were allowed back into their rooms following cleaning and safety inspections 

A spokesperson for Reuben College told Cherwell: “All students in Reuben accommodation have premises insurance included in their rent, which anyone suffering losses over £25 will be able to claim against.  The College’s Sub Deans and Welfare Officer were available to support the affected students, especially the student who lost all her possessions.”

The incident has also reignited concerns about evacuation protocol. Queen’s College sent out an email to students following the Reuben fire which mentioned that “a concerning number” of students failed to exit within the expected three-minute window, with some not leaving their rooms until prompted by staff. The College described this behaviour as “unacceptable” and warned that more tightly enforced drills are likely in the new year.

Reuben confirmed that the University is reviewing the fire and that the College will adopt any recommendations made, including changes to procedures and communication. Students in Reuben accommodation will be required to attend a mandatory fire-safety briefing, run by the University’s Safety Office, reiterating the importance of swift evacuation.

Colleges across the University, including Balliol College and Keble College, have reminded students that phones, laptops, and other battery-powered devices must never be charged on beds, duvets, or soft furnishings, and should only be placed on solid, non-flammable surfaces such as desks or bedside tables. Electric bikes and scooters also remain prohibited on college grounds due to the risks associated with lithium-ion batteries.

While the rapid response prevented more extensive damage, Reuben issued a broader message to students: “Unattended batteries can overheat and ignite, fires can spread rapidly, and the resulting smoke is highly toxic. Colleges urge students to treat the incident as a serious reminder of the dangers posed by improper charging practices and non-compliance with fire alarms.”

Oxfordshire health equality lab appoints first Chief Scientific Advisers

Vanisha Karna
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Oxfordshire health equality lab appoints first Chief Scientific Advisers

Oxfordshire’s Local Policy Lab has announced the appointment of its first Chief Scientific Advisers to lead its work in reducing health inequalities in Oxfordshire. 

The Local Policy Lab is an alliance between the University of Oxford, Oxford Brookes University, and Oxfordshire County Council. It aims to address health inequalities and support the creation of evidence-based public policy by connecting researchers from both universities with policymakers and local groups. 

Professor James Robson, Dr Joanna Crocker, and Professor Jonathon Reid will be responsible for leading and delivering a three year research plan. The areas of focus will be delivering a skilled workforce and fair employment, ensuring a healthy living standard for all, and enabling children and young people to thrive. 

Professor James Robson is Associate Professor of Tertiary Education Systems at the University of Oxford’s Department of Education. His research focuses on the political economy of tertiary education. Robson told Cherwell: “The Local Policy Lab is a major innovation designed to bridge research, policy, and community and so I’m delighted to join it as Chief Scientific Advisor supporting the delivery of a skilled workforce and fair employment across the county. 

“In recent years, my research has involved working with central government emphasising the importance of place-based approaches to the development of integrated skills and innovation systems that drive local and regional economic growth, support meaningful community engagement, and lead to the development of meaningful career opportunities for everyone. Therefore, I’m really excited to build on this at the local level and work with colleagues across the county on this agenda.”

Dr Joanna Crocker, a senior researcher in the Nuffield Department of Primary Care Health Sciences at the University of Oxford, told Cherwell: “I’m honoured and excited to take on this role with the Oxfordshire Local Policy Lab. We have a unique opportunity to address local health inequalities through collaborative research with communities, policymakers and academics.”

The two advisers from the Oxford University will be joined by Dr Jonathon Reid, an Associate Professor of Education in the School of Education, Humanities, and Languages at Oxford Brookes University. His research focuses on inclusion and exclusion in education.

The appointment of Chief Scientific Advisers comes alongside the launch of the council’s research strategy, which runs until 2030 and informs the council’s use of research in delivering policy for a “greener, fairer and healthier Oxfordshire”.

Corpus Christi modernises 16th century library with new building

Matilda Devison
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Corpus Christi modernises 16th century library with new building

Oxford University’s Chancellor Lord William Hague has officially opened the Spencer Building, the first extension to Corpus Christi College’s Library since its founding in the 16th century. The 479m2  building includes three reader rooms, a home for the College’s special collections and archives, and approximately 70,000 books.

Work started on the extension in 2021, and the Spencer Building’s £17 million cost was fully philanthropically funded. It was designed by Wright & Wright Architects, who also redeveloped St John’s College’s libraries and quadrangle.

The aspect of the long-awaited Spencer Building most familiar to the 265 undergraduates and 130 postgraduates of Corpus Christi college are undoubtedly the three reading rooms. These have increased capacity for student study by 60%. The opening of the Spencer Building has also allowed the Old Library’s ground floor to be used as teaching rooms.

A third year Corpus student told Cherwell: “The new library, with generous desks and good electrical outlets (including USB-C at about 20w which is great), is easier to use as a study space [than the Old Library].”

The reading rooms include 55 bespoke reader desks and six dedicated research desks, made from brass and oak to match the College’s historic style. Wright & Wright Architects emphasised that the historic elements of the College are incorporated into the building’s Passivhaus-certified design. 

A second year Corpus student told Cherwell: “There is always a risk when attaching new builds to old buildings that they’re going to look out of place, but they blended the old with the new quite seamlessly.”

The old city wall is used to maintain stable environmental conditions for the material housed in the Wright Special Collections Centre. The Corpus Christi Development Office told Cherwell that the Wright centre enables the collection and archives to be viewed in a more pleasant space. The special collection contains more than 20,000 early printed books and 546 manuscripts, including works by Galileo and Erasmus. 

The Spencer Building is fully Disability Discrimination Act (DDA) compliant, allowing direct wheelchair access to the Old Library for the first time. With the new building, students can also self issue books for the first time. A third year Corpus student told Cherwell: “Being able to check books out at any time is a major improvement.”

Oxford University accused of ‘institutional censorship’ over reporting restrictions

Gaspard Rouffin
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Oxford University accused of ‘institutional censorship’ over reporting restrictions

Over 20 academics have criticised the University of Oxford for its use of reporting restrictions in ongoing lawsuits, according to a document seen by Cherwell. They are submitting a motion to Congregation calling for an end to the University’s use of anonymity orders and restricted reporting orders (RROs) in legal cases.

The University’s leadership has faced scrutiny for a lack of transparency in these proceedings with members of the Congregation, and particularly for acting against principles of “freedom of speech, freedom of expression, and academic freedom”. Congregation is the governing body of the University, composed primarily of academic staff. 

The 22 signatories of the motion argue that by concealing legal proceedings through the use of these orders, “Congregation is not given a chance to be well informed enough to perform its function of ‘sovereign body’”. The signatories believe that since the University “acts in [their] name” in court, they “need to be able to find out about the University’s involvement in legal actions”.

Anonymity order and RROs are legal orders that essentially prohibit the discussion or publication of the identity of individuals or organisations involved in legal proceedings.

Motion to Congregation

The motion seen by Cherwell asks the University to “refrain from applying for anonymity or restricted reporting orders in legal proceedings”, and also requested that it “withdraw any such orders it has applied for or has been granted in current legal actions”.

Citing the University Statute XII, the signatories said that the University’s use of those legal orders amounts to “institutional censorship”, given that it does not allow them to “question and test received wisdom and to put forward…their opinions about the University”.

Statute XII also states that “members of the academic staff have freedom within the law” to raise those questions and opinions “without placing themselves in jeopardy of losing their jobs or privileges”. Signatories of the motion prefer to remain anonymous at this stage.

The motion seen by Cherwell expresses regret that the University is “undermining open justice” instead of “supporting” it, and states that the institution “should not be in the business of covering up truth”.

An anonymous signatory of the motion exclusively told Cherwell: “One element that is supposed to make Oxford special is that it’s intended to be run by academics, but Wellington Square has taken over, running things in the dark, spending our money in questionable and avoidable lawsuits, and silencing people in our name and without our consent.

“They’ve gone too far. They’ve betrayed our trust, sullying our reputation with their mismanagement of these cases. They’ve gotten away with it so far because they weaponise the law to hide their legal actions. It’s time for academics to take charge of the decisions that matter the most.”

Senior University figures

Cherwell understands that there have been concerns raised regarding senior University figures’ approach to transparency in the context of legal proceedings, and particularly concerning the Chancellor William Hague and the Vice-Chancellor Irene Tracey. 

A source with knowledge of the matter told Cherwell: “The Chancellor and the Vice-Chancellor have serious questions to answer about the type of university they are running, whether it is one that protects its own students and staff, or its reputation.” 

They added that “Bloomberg’s investigation, and subsequent reporting, uncovered what for many has been a pervasive culture of silence and intimidation. The University must act now to bring itself into the 21st century, and if it doesn’t, then it needs to be made clear why not”.

The motion seen by Cherwell stated that “it would be improper of the University of Oxford to be applying for anonymity or restricted reporting orders in private while our leaders defend freedom of speech in public”, referring to recent press appearances by the Chancellor and Vice-Chancellor defending freedom of speech.

Patterns of censorship

This issue was raised earlier this term in the Oxford Magazine, when the editors expressed regret  that much “is hidden from most [academics] in the way our university operates”, and argued that the University has a “requirement” to promote “transparency” and “free speech”.

The Oxford Magazine is an independent paper edited by members of the University, but not an official publication. It has been at the centre of many controversial discussions at the University since its founding in 1883, and a proposed retirement policy was ruled as discriminatory by a tribunal in January 2020. In December 2020, the University stopped funding the print edition of the magazine, and ended all IT and personnel support for the publication two years later.

The motion put forward by the 22 academics also cited concerns over a “trend towards secrecy in UK courts, with the press reporting on powerful institutions, including universities, seeking and being granted anonymity in legal proceedings”.

The University of Oxford did not respond to Cherwell’s request for comment.

Ashmolean Museum attracts over one million annual visitors for first time in 16 years

Angelina Mirraslavska
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Ashmolean Museum attracts over one million annual visitors for first time in 16 years

The Ashmolean Museum, the UK’s oldest public museum and the University of Oxford’s leading institution for art and archaeology, has welcomed more than one million visitors this year, its highest annual total in 16 years. 

The figure marks a continuous upward trend in visits to the Museum in recent years, with 900,277 visitors recorded in 2023 and 942,692 in 2024. Passing the one million visitor mark means that the Museum is now roughly 14% ahead of the same point last year, when 879,077 visits had been logged by the end of November. The Ashmolean also reports that its audience is becoming more diverse, noting “proportional increases in overseas visitors, visitors from Oxfordshire, and families.”

Oxford Central remains the Museum’s largest source of Oxfordshire visitors, followed by East Central Oxford and then Radley, Wootton and Marcham. A cluster of areas, including Islip, Arncott, Chesterton, Barton, Wallingford, and Brightwell, collectively rank next. Internationally, the Ashmolean continues to draw in substantial numbers from the United States, Australia, Germany, Italy, and France.

A recent survey suggests that free entry has played a significant role in this rise, especially during the ongoing cost of living crisis. The Museum maintains free general admission, accommodates both bookings and walk-ins, and has hosted several free exhibitions this year. These include current displays by Irish artist Daphne Wright, US-based Hong Kong artist Pat Suet-Bik Hui, and three artists exploring the Chinese “three perfections”, alongside object-based exhibitions such as a collection of Roman coins from Oxfordshire.

Alongside its free offerings, the Ashmolean has continued to draw audiences through ticketed exhibitions. One of this year’s displays, This Is What You Get, focuses on the visual art of Stanley Donwood and Thom Yorke, whose collaboration of over 30 years has shaped Radiohead’s distinctive style. Running from 6th August 2025 to 18th January 2026, the exhibition features more than 180 works, from original album-cover paintings and digital compositions to etchings, unpublished drawings and handwritten lyrics. 

Curator Lena Fritsch describes the collaboration at the heart of the exhibition as a synthesis of sound, image, and text – a Gesamtkunstwerk that highlights the experimental nature of Radiohead’s music. Tickets remain free for members, under-12s, and museum colleagues, with various concessions and half-price categories available. According to figures shared with Cherwell, the Ashmolean has issued 32,370 tickets to date, indicating strong and sustained public interest in the exhibition.

Another key element behind visitor growth has been the museum’s newly redesigned Rome and the Roman Empire gallery, which opened on the ground floor earlier this year. The gallery examines the Roman world at its height in the first and second centuries AD, tracing the lives of people across the empire, from emperors to the enslaved, and following its reach from Oxfordshire to Syria. The space broadens the traditional boundaries of Roman art by displaying not only frescoes, sculptures and tombstones but also household objects and interactive features designed to appeal to visitors of all ages.

The ghosts of the King’s Arms’ past, present, and future

Josephine Stern
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The ghosts of the King’s Arms’ past, present, and future

Ever felt a supernatural presence hovering over you in what claims to be Oxford’s oldest pub, the King’s Arms? And no – not the ghost of an ill-fated first date from last Michaelmas. 

According to Dark Oxfordshire, the KA boasts an even more eerie reputation. There are some who claim to have heard a pair of phantom Oxford dons at the bar, heatedly bickering – in Ancient Greek, no less – over the quality of the port wine. The Haunted Hub adds that patrons have reported the spirit of a former musician playing piano at odd hours in an otherwise empty room. And if you’re still unconvinced of the pub’s spectral credentials, the Deputy Manager of the King’s Arms told Cherwell that a ghost-finder once detected an entire ethereal family loitering there. Having perished in a fire which consumed their upstairs lodgings, the noise of the youngest daughter, Amelie, running and playing can still be detected. 

Today, the King’s Arms continues to beckon a motley crew of pub-goers to haunt its sticky hallways day in, day out. Standing proud on the corner of Holywell and Parks Road, the pub is a favourite of students, academics, tourists, and locals alike: a rare Oxford gem in that it belongs to no single type of person. My friend, a History and Politics student, gathers with her tutorial partners each week in the KA to spend a self-consciously highbrow hour and a half dissecting John Rawls’ political philosophy. By contrast, just a fortnight ago, I stumbled through a pub crawl that kicked off in the King’s Arms, its aim decidedly far less intellectual enlightenment and far more maximal inebriation. Variety is the spice of life, I suppose. 

In short, such assorted ghosts as solitary musicians and drunken professors have been joined by the ranks of the equally sundry living, with each individual who roams the halls now contributing their own quirks, charm, and colour to the storied pub. The result: a social sphere that feels, as ever, like a refuge for wandering souls. 

To be sure, more generally, Oxford’s bountiful pubs seem to offer the opportunity to shed the tired trope of the neurotic, over-worked student and slip into a more unguarded way of being. However brief, a couple of pints in The Star’s beer-garden, or sitting shoulder-to-shoulder in the Half Moon, softens one’s defences and eases the pressure of appearing perpetually profound. It is in these pockets of calm that the suspect hauntings of essays and expectations are relieved, leaving room for genuine, candid connection. The pub demands us to trade in academic armour for the company of lost spirits, living or otherwise. 

Old habits tend to die hard, however. It is no small feat to ditch a meticulously crafted Oxford persona: the unflappable scholar, the sharp raconteur, or the champagne socialist – each honed under careful scrutiny. In other words, after a day spent playing the role of ‘the Oxford student’, it can be hard to know if a pub trip signals the curtain call. For many, the theatre of it all knows no boundaries, and the pub becomes a new stage upon which the performance can continue well into the night. If the costume comes off, it does so tentatively – and never all at once. 

I had this theory in mind on my last trip to the King’s Arms, and was more than ready to put it to the test. Standing outside the pub, drink in hand, it is almost impossible to decipher who is still in character and who has given up the charade. Were those two trying their hand at method acting, or were they genuinely impassioned about the significance of free will in Macbeth? In any case, I left the pub with the sense that an uncertain space resided between performance and repose, between folklore and reality. I only wish the scales could tip slightly towards the latter, so that authenticity might stretch beyond the walls of this transient, in-between realm. 

Charles Dickens assures us in A Christmas Carol that: “While there is infection in […] sorrow, there is nothing in the world so irresistibly contagious as laughter and good humour.” This rings true not just in Oxford’s most-fabled haunted pub, but in any of the city’s haunts. Pubs are at their most vital when they offer wayward souls a reprieve from close examination, where the crushing weight of expectation lightens, so that they may roam carefreely. They offer more than cocktails and conversation; in this uncanny overlap between the living and the departed, spirits of every kind can rejoice in the revelry. 

So, next time you visit the King’s Arms, listen out for the faint clinking of piano keys and muffled scholarly debate, toast a drink to your fellow patrons, and loosen your guard, before even the resident ghosts decide they would prefer more authentic company. 

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