Saturday 2nd May 2026
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Oxford-led study develops ‘SimCells’ to target antimicrobial resistance

Melissa Eddon
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Oxford-led study develops ‘SimCells’ to target antimicrobial resistance

Researchers led by University of Oxford academic Dr Wei Huang have successfully created biologically engineered cells, designed to target antimicrobial-resistant (AMR) bacteria. 

Published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences journal, the study involved developing and testing two types of nonreplicating therapeutic cells named “SimCells” and “Mini-SimCells”.  Dr Huang’s team describe these cells as smart “bioparticles” that can selectively eradicate drug-resistant bacteria, whilst sparing non-pathogenic cells.

The testing process saw SimCells targeting a multidrug-resistant strain of E. Coli. Within six hours, the SimCells eliminated more than 85% of the target bacteria, whilst the mini-SimCells eliminated more than 97% within 48 hours. The team utilised a ‘plug and play’ design to create a multipurpose cell that can be reused to target different pathogens by changing the nanobodies on its surface, without rebuilding the basis of the cell. 

The study seeks to counter the threat of antimicrobial resistance, which sees microorganisms like bacteria and parasites evolve to resist drugs developed to eradicate them. According to the World Health Organisation, AMR has emerged as “one of the top global health and development threats”, as antimicrobial medications such as antibiotics and antivirals become less effective. 

Huang and his research partner, Yun Dong, told Cherwell: “The conventional antibiotic pipeline is failing to keep pace. Our SimCell (simple cell) platform addresses these challenges by offering a new way to fight dangerous drug-resistant bacteria.

“Because they cannot replicate and do not work like standard antibiotics, Sim Cells could provide a safer and more adaptable way to strengthen our diminishing antibiotic arsenal against the world’s most serious AMR pathogens”. 

Cumulative projections from the Global Burden of Disease study suggest over 39 million deaths between 2025 and 2050 that would be directly attributed to AMR. The WHO predicts AMR to be the trigger for the next global pandemic, on account of the range of infections and diseases that will be immune to modern medicine. Procedures like cancer chemotherapy, caesarean sections, and organ transplants will also be inhibited. Estimates from the World Bank suggest AMR could result in $1 trillion in additional healthcare costs, and a cumulative global GDP loss of $100 trillion by 2050. 

Huang and Dong told Cherwell that rather than the “current paradigm of developing a new small-molecule antibiotic for each resistant pathogen”, the “universal base” of the SimCell makes it not only more effective than antibiotics, but also more efficient. The ‘plug and play’ method bypasses the time and cost-intensive research process for antibiotics, and has the potential to “accelerate the response to AMR outbreaks, reduce development costs, and ultimately contribute to a shift in infectious disease management”. 


Huang and Dong told Cherwell they hope to see their work deployed in treating “recurrent urinary tract infections, ventilator-associated pneumonia, or gut decolonisation of MDR carriers”. Whilst the development of new antibiotics has been stagnant since the 1980s, the team believe advancements in synthetic biology have “the potential to reshape how we conceptualise antimicrobial intervention”.

Twelve Oxford colleges do not pay all staff the Oxford Living Wage

Oskar Doepke
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Twelve Oxford colleges do not pay all staff the Oxford Living Wage

At least twelve Oxford colleges were not paying all staff the Oxford Living Wage (OLW) as of their most recent financial year, Cherwell can reveal. 

Balliol, Brasenose, Harris Manchester, Oriel, Regent’s Park, St Anne’s, St Catherine’s, St Edmund Hall, St Hilda’s, St Peter’s, Trinity, and Wolfson all paid their lowest-earning employees less than £13.16 per hour, the OLW set for 2025-26. Reuben has not yet responded to Cherwell’s Freedom of Information request. 

The OLW is a voluntary hourly rate, distinct from the government’s minimum, that, according to its website, reflects the “real cost of living and working in Oxford” – the UK’s secondmost expensive city. Introduced by Oxford City Council in 2018, the OLW is set at 95% of the London real Living Wage, a different hourly rate calculated by the Living Wage Foundation. 

The OLW stood at £13.16 per hour in 2025-26, rising to £14.06 per hour in April 2026-27. Meanwhile, in 2025-26, the UK real Living Wage sat at £12.60 per hour and the London real Living Wage at £13.85, before respectively increasing to £13.45 and £14.80 per hour for 2026-27.

In 2020, the University of Oxford committed to paying all staff at least the OLW. However, as Oxford colleges are independent employers, the University’s pledge did not extend to them. 

Among the twelve colleges that did not pay all staff the OLW, the share of staff receiving it varied. At St Peter’s and Wolfson, just 46% and 54% of staff were paid at least the OLW, while 98% of staff at St Catherine’s and Trinity were paid it. 

Who gets left out

The headline figure, however, obscures variations in pay across staff groups. Across the twelve colleges, academic and administrative staff were mostly paid at or above the OLW threshold. Pay below the OLW threshold was concentrated predominantly among casual employees – non-permanent employees typically without guaranteed hours – and, among them, those who work in catering, facilities/maintenance, and security. 

For instance, Wolfson paid casual security employees £12.21 per hour, but their full-time and part-time counterparts at least £15.55 per hour, with a ceiling of £21.68. At St Hilda’s, casual catering, facilities/maintenance, and security staff earned £12.60 per hour, even as equivalent permanent staff made at least the OLW of £13.16 – a difference of 56p per hour. 

Staff in catering, facilities/maintenance, and security were among the lowest-paid groups in 13 of the 20 colleges that provided sufficient data. For the remaining seven colleges, some administrative employees earned the same as, but not less than, catering, facilities/maintenance, or security staff. 

The colleges that did not pay all staff the OLW also tend to rely more on casual employees. For example, excluding St Catherine’s, which did not provide a full breakdown by contract type, the non-OLW colleges employ 321 of their 542 catering staff – 59% – on casual contracts. In comparison, among colleges that met OLW, 40% of catering staff are on casual contracts. The same colleges also employ 17% of their security on casual contracts, compared to 31% at colleges that do not pay the OLW. 

The casual hourly rate, moreover, does not capture the full extent of the pay gap. Cherwell’s data found that casual workers across a number of colleges are excluded from benefits above the statutory minimum. At St Hilda’s, for example, all staff but casual staff have access to free eye tests, healthcare, dental care, a contribution towards glasses, and a cycle scheme. 

Research by the Living Wage Foundation has found that casual and other insecure employees are as disproportionately likely to be younger, older, and from minority ethnic backgrounds. Accommodation and food services – the sector that most closely maps to college catering and facilities/maintenance work – also accounts for the second-highest percentage of insecure work in the UK. Cherwell does not hold data on the age or ethnic makeup of casual employees at Oxford colleges.

The bigger picture

Of Oxford’s 39 colleges and four permanent private halls (PPHs), 16 hold formal accreditation as OLW employers from Oxford City Council. Accreditation, which is overseen by the council, requires employers to pay all staff based in Oxford at least the OLW and implement the respective annual pay increases. Accredited employers are also listed publicly on the council’s website.

Beyond the 16 accredited employers, a further 15 colleges and PPHs pay all staff the OLW without formal accreditation. As a result, the number of collegiate OLW employers has grown more than fourfold since 2020, when Cherwell previously found just eight to be paying all staff the OLW, although that figure includes St Benet’s, a PPH which closed in 2022.

Several colleges also noted that, while they did not pay all staff the OLW, they met the threshold for all permanent employees. For instance, a spokesperson for Harris Manchester told Cherwell that the college has a “policy of paying the Oxford Living Wage for all full-time or part-time members of staff”. St Anne’s, St Catherine’s, and St Hilda’s referenced similar policies. 

More colleges also said they meet at least the real Living Wage threshold for all staff. A spokesperson for Regent’s Park told Cherwell the real Living Wage “is the minimum we pay to all staff, irrespective of contract type or age”. St Anne’s, St Edmund Hall, St Hilda’s, and St Peter’s likewise confirmed to pay all staff at least the real Living Wage. 

A spokesperson for Brasenose, meanwhile, told Cherwell that “the college is committed to ensuring that pay levels remain fair, competitive, and appropriate to the roles undertaken”, adding that it undertakes regular benchmarking and at least one salary review per year. “While not all roles may align precisely with the Oxford Living Wage”, the spokesperson told Cherwell, the college still provides “a range of additional benefits … that are highly valued by staff which go beyond basic pay”, including generous leave, pensions, and free lunches. 

Likewise, a spokesperson for Regent’s Park told Cherwell the college “places the highest value on its staff and recognises the essential contribution they make”, and that the college is “committed to fair pay for everyone who works here”. 

In response to Cherwell’s findings, Councillor Chewe Munkonge, Cabinet Member for a Healthy, Fairer Oxford, told Cherwell: “When employers commit to paying the Oxford Living Wage, they’re making a meaningful difference to the lives of thousands of local people and we want as many businesses as possible to sign up. 

“Many Oxford colleges are already accredited and, as major employers in our city, this is fantastic for the thousands of people working there. I would encourage any colleges that are contemplating it to speak to those already doing it or reach out to our team to find out more. Together, we can make Oxford a fairer city for everyone.”

Balliol, Harris Manchester, Oriel, St Edmund Hall, Trinity, and Wolfson were contacted for comment.

Best Digital Sales Rooms Reviews 2026

External Contributor
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The way companies sell has changed dramatically over the past few years. Buyers are more informed, sales cycles are more complex, and expectations for personalised experiences are higher than ever. In response, businesses are adopting new tools to streamline communication and improve collaboration with prospects. One of the most impactful innovations in this space is the digital sales room—a centralised environment where sales teams and buyers interact, share content, and move deals forward efficiently.

Often referred to as deal room software, digital sales rooms bring together documents, messages, videos, and analytics into one unified platform. Instead of relying on scattered emails and attachments, sales teams can create a dedicated space for each deal. This allows stakeholders to access all relevant information in one place, improving transparency and reducing friction throughout the sales process.

What Is a Digital Sales Room?

A digital sales room (DSR) is a secure, personalised online workspace designed to facilitate collaboration between sellers and buyers. It acts as a hub where sales representatives can upload proposals, presentations, contracts, and other materials, while prospects can review content, ask questions, and engage directly.

Unlike traditional sales tools, digital sales rooms are interactive and data-driven. They provide insights into how buyers engage with content—such as which pages they view, how long they spend on each section, and when they are most active. This data helps sales teams tailor their approach and improve their chances of closing deals.

Why Digital Sales Rooms Matter in 2026

In 2026, the sales environment is more competitive and digital-first than ever before. Buyers expect fast responses, clear communication, and easy access to information. Digital sales rooms address these expectations by providing a seamless and organised experience.

They also support remote and hybrid work models, enabling teams to collaborate across different locations without losing efficiency. By centralising communication and content, digital sales rooms reduce misunderstandings and keep everyone aligned.

Key Features to Look For

When evaluating digital sales room platforms, it’s important to focus on features that enhance both productivity and user experience:

  • Content management: Organise and share documents, videos, and presentations
  • Real-time communication: Chat and messaging features for instant interaction
  • Analytics and tracking: Insights into buyer engagement and behaviour
  • E-signatures: Ability to finalise agreements within the platform
  • Customisation: Personalised branding and tailored experiences for each client
  • Integration: Compatibility with CRM and other sales tools

These features help create a smooth and efficient sales process.

Best Digital Sales Rooms in 2026

1. Getaccept

Getaccept is one of the leading platforms in the digital sales room space. It combines document sharing, video messaging, chat, and e-signatures into a single solution. Sales teams can create personalised deal rooms, track engagement in real time, and close deals faster.

One of its standout features is the ability to see exactly how prospects interact with content. This allows for more targeted follow-ups and improved conversion rates.

2. DealHub

DealHub offers a comprehensive digital sales room solution with strong CPQ (Configure, Price, Quote) capabilities. It is particularly useful for businesses with complex pricing structures.

The platform also includes collaboration tools and analytics, making it a solid choice for enterprise sales teams.

3. Dock

Dock focuses on creating collaborative workspaces for clients and sales teams. It emphasises simplicity and ease of use, making it ideal for companies that want a straightforward solution.

4. PandaDoc

PandaDoc combines document management with digital sales room functionality. It allows users to create proposals, track engagement, and collect e-signatures.

This platform is especially popular among small and medium-sized businesses due to its affordability and versatility.

5. Salesforce Sales Cloud

Salesforce offers digital sales room capabilities as part of its broader CRM ecosystem. It provides powerful customisation and integration options, making it suitable for large organisations.

While it may require more setup, its scalability and feature set make it a strong contender.

6. Seismic

Seismic focuses on content management and sales enablement. Its digital sales room features allow teams to deliver personalised content and track engagement.

It is particularly effective for organisations with large volumes of sales content.

7. Showpad

Showpad offers a combination of training, content management, and digital sales room functionality. It helps sales teams deliver consistent messaging and improve performance.

Its analytics features provide valuable insights into what content drives results.

Benefits of Using Digital Sales Rooms

1. Improved Buyer Experience

Digital sales rooms provide a structured and user-friendly environment for buyers. They can access all relevant information in one place, making the decision-making process easier.

2. Faster Deal Cycles

By reducing back-and-forth communication and providing instant access to documents, digital sales rooms help accelerate the sales process.

3. Better Collaboration

Multiple stakeholders can interact within the same space, ensuring that everyone is aligned and informed.

4. Data-Driven Insights

Analytics allow sales teams to understand buyer behaviour and adjust their strategies accordingly.

5. Increased Conversion Rates

Personalised experiences and timely follow-ups lead to higher chances of closing deals.

Challenges to Consider

While digital sales rooms offer many advantages, there are some challenges to keep in mind. These include the need for proper training, potential integration complexities, and the time required to create high-quality content.

However, with the right strategy and tools, these challenges can be effectively managed.

The Future of Digital Sales Rooms

As technology continues to evolve, digital sales rooms will become even more advanced. Artificial intelligence will play a larger role in personalising content and predicting buyer behaviour. Automation will further streamline workflows, making the sales process more efficient.

In addition, deeper integrations with CRM and marketing platforms will create a more unified sales ecosystem, allowing businesses to operate with greater precision and agility.

Conclusion

Digital sales rooms are transforming the way businesses sell in 2026. By centralising communication, enhancing collaboration, and providing valuable insights, they enable sales teams to work smarter and close deals faster.

Platforms like Getaccept, DealHub, and Dock offer powerful solutions that cater to different business needs. By choosing the right tool and implementing it effectively, companies can gain a significant competitive advantage in today’s digital-first market.

FAQs

1. What is a digital sales room?
A digital sales room is an online space where sales teams and buyers collaborate, share documents, and communicate during the sales process.

2. How does deal room software work?
It centralises all sales materials and interactions in one platform, allowing for better organisation and collaboration.

3. What are the benefits of digital sales rooms?
They improve buyer experience, speed up deal cycles, and provide valuable insights into customer behaviour.

4. Which companies offer digital sales room solutions?
Popular options include Getaccept, DealHub, Dock, PandaDoc, and Salesforce.

5. Are digital sales rooms suitable for small businesses?
Yes, many platforms offer scalable solutions that work for businesses of all sizes.

6. What is the future of digital sales rooms?
The future includes AI-driven personalisation, automation, and deeper integration with other business tools.

Rhodes Scholarship suspends Global Constituency applications

Siyeon Lee
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Rhodes Scholarship suspends Global Constituency applications

The Rhodes Trust announced earlier this month that the Rhodes Scholarship’s Global Constituency will be suspended for the 2026-2027 application cycle. 

The Rhodes Scholarship, established in 1902, is a “fully-funded postgraduate award which enables talented young people from around the world to study full-time at the University of Oxford”. The merit-based program offers scholarships for graduate study to around 100 scholars yearly. The scholarships cover all tuition fees, a living expense stipend, and round-trip travel to Oxford, where the Rhodes House is located. 

Established geographical constituencies for the scholarship include the United States of America, Canada, Southern Africa, and India. There is a defined number of scholarships to be awarded in each area, with 32 Rhodes Scholars selected from the United States each year, making it the largest constituency. However, several world regions do not have constituencies, including South and Central America, North Africa and most European nations, with these areas instead covered by the “Global Constituency”, which has two scholarships every year since 2018.

On its website, the Rhodes Trust specified that the suspension of the Global Constituency scholarships was due to the organisation’s shifting “strategic priorities”. 

Asked for more details on their changing priorities, a Rhodes Trust spokesperson told Cherwell: “As the Rhodes Trust looks ahead, the Board of Trustees has undertaken a careful review of how best to fulfil its charitable mission and deliver the unique Scholar experience that defines a Rhodes Scholarship. Following this, the Board has decided to focus the Trust’s Scholarship provision within its established constituency network, and will not be awarding Global Scholarships going forward, including in the current cycle.” 

Candidates who are ineligible in an established Rhodes constituency may also have the option to apply for Inter-Jurisdictional Consideration for the scholarship, available if a candidate is “strongly connected to two or more Rhodes constituencies” but not eligible to apply in any one area.

In their initial announcement of the suspension, the Rhodes Trust acknowledged that “this will be disappointing to those hoping to apply to the Global Scholarship this year”.

Why you should spring clean your bookshelf this Trinity

Elizabeth Bourn
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Why you should spring clean your bookshelf this Trinity

In the Northern Hemisphere, astronomers mark the beginning of spring on the date of the spring equinox. This year, it falls on the 20th of March. For Oxonians, spring begins in our liminal space, the strange weeks that fill our time between the end of Hilary term and the start of Trinity term. Despite leaving Oxford, some of us remain busy bees, revising away for collections or finishing dissertations. Others among us, despite having reading lists that are long enough to resemble shopping lists, are horrifically bored, burnt-out, and unable to look at anything resembling term-time work without feeling a little bit queasy. Although it is marketed to us as the time for new beginnings, spring can easily pass us by, all of us so desperate for summer that we charge through March and April without a second glance. 

While I, too, long for the warm weather that summer (sometimes) provides, spring is my favourite season and is severely underrated. I love it, not solely for its pink and yellow petals that fill my camera roll or the excuse it grants me to unfold my summer dresses and dungarees, but for its sheer reading potential. Summer is for lucrative lick-your-fingers romances, and winter all but possesses the fireplace mystery market. Spring and autumn are just too fleeting to wholly claim certain genres, and therefore every year holds the possibility of something new. Spring is especially unique as, in autumn, readers may find themselves returning to the nostalgic tenderness of the back-to-school narrative, squeezing in a read or two before winter takes hold. Spring lacks this definition, its potential, therefore, joyfully untapped and free for individual interpretation.

Upon coming home for the Hilary vacation, I returned to my childhood bedroom. It was in what can only be described as a state of chaos. I am an English student and have been collecting books since I was 13. It shows. Almost every inch of my room is covered in a paperback, a hardback, or the DVD of the film adaptation of my favourite book. Bookmarks are everywhere, reading journals sit precariously balanced on every edge, and, as I stood in the doorway, I silently cursed my January self for leaving my room like this.

In the name of spring cleaning, I sat down and decided to dedicate the following minutes, hours, and days to sorting my books, promising to keep only those that brought memories of a happy reading experience to mind. Despite being a self-proclaimed bookworm, I found that I hadn’t actually read many of them. Some were sequels I’d spent weeks waiting for, only for the special-edition hardbacks to accumulate dust behind books I had ordered for university classes. Some were classics I had loved the idea of reading, but their spines were ultimately left unbroken when I struggled with the language, the words left unannotated, unfelt. I found books that family members had recommended, had excitedly shared with the intention of communal discussion, simply waiting – the clearest signifier that the previous delight I took from reading had crumbled. Enough was enough. If spring was the time for new beginnings, I would begin again, too. Starting with my bookshelf.

Choosing to do an English degree as an avid reader can lead your love of reading to become irrevocably intertwined with stressful deadlines and job applications. It is easy to become distanced from the hobby, rejecting it over breaks in favour of anything else. My goal every new year is to fall back in love with reading. While January me certainly tried her best, it was this spring that I saw my resolution begin to take effect. I listened – because, yes, audiobooks do count! – to Jane Austen’s Northanger Abbey as I browsed bookshops, pausing to take pictures of the poetry anthology I thought my best friend would enjoy. I missed my stop on the sun-drenched bus because I was so engrossed in the final pages of a play I was reading for pleasure. I finished the final chapter of my favourite comic – the one I had been reading since I was fourteen – tucked up in bed, birdsong quiet outside my bedroom window. 

Yet in this process, I often overlook the value of returning to how I first practised the art. With friends and family, squeezed between commuters on the bus, under the covers with a flashlight, stealing moments everywhere. When I was younger, I would carry my favourite books with me to school, not to read but to hold, a weight that kept me grounded as I navigated life as a 15-year-old girl. Before reading was productive or competitive, it was a haven, a comfort I yearn for now more than ever as I enter my twenties. Spring lacks a to-do list, lacks a checkbox of books to read before you miss their seasonal window, and it is kinder that way, more welcoming.

Spring is often swallowed in one quick gulp, dainty blossoms on trees appearing for what seems like milliseconds before waxy leaves take their place. For many of us, spring is small. It is a soft yawn, the world waking up and displaying a swift snippet of what’s to come in summer. Before spring leaves us behind for another year, I implore you to make reading a part of this transitional jubilation, a part of the first hike or the first ice cream. The assigned genre is anything that has gathered dust on your bookshelf or TBR, because reading is more joyful when the rules are bent, and you follow your own enjoyment. 

Or, as Jane Austen’s bookish heroine Catherine Moreland would say: “Oh! I am delighted with the book! I should like to spend my whole life in reading it.”

When I met Peter Mandelson

Hassan Akram
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When I met Peter Mandelson

In October 2024, during the Oxford Chancellor election, one of my responsibilities as Deputy Editor of Profiles at Cherwell was to interview Peter (then Lord) Mandelson, who was among the five frontrunners contesting the election. I was due to meet him at St Catherine’s College at 2.30pm. While I was on the coach from London to Oxford, my phone rang – an unknown number – and on the other end was Mandelson. “I’m at St Catz”, he said, audibly annoyed: “Where are you?” I pointed out that he was an hour early. “No, I’m not. 1.30pm was the time I was given.” I explained that the Cherwell editors must have given me the wrong time, that I was very sorry, that it wouldn’t happen again, etc. He replied that he would try to fit in the interview at a later time. 

When, eventually, I arrived at St Catherine’s College, it was an hour’s wait in the Porters’ Lodge before the great man presented himself. Even the manner of his entry was worthy of the Mandelson lore. A slick black car pulled up outside the college. It took me a moment to notice – though it might have been a trick of the light – that the peer was making the end of his nose very blunt against the car window, in an angular attempt to discover whether or not that journo from Cherwell had arrived on time. Seeing that I had, he sprang out, and we shook hands. I spent the next two hours intermittently interviewing him as he hopped between the several ceremonies and meetings which his position as an honourary fellow demanded of him. He seemed already to know what he wanted to say, which is fair enough for a politician. One tic stands out in my mind. Every time he mentioned some praiseworthy feature of his record in office, I, out of polite interest, said, “Really?”, and his tetchy response each time was to exclaim, “Yes!”, as if scandalised that anyone might be unaware of his achievements. By the end of the interview, his irritation had subsided, giving way to the famous “prince of darkness” charm which for years had sent him ricocheting back and forth between Cabinet and disgrace. He enquired whether I wanted a drink or snack. I politely refused. Then, with a suggestion that if I had any further questions, I could put them to him by phone, I left. 

A week later, when the interview was published, I and the other Cherwell editors realised that it contained a serious omission. I hadn’t asked Mandelson about his connection to Jeffrey Epstein, of which I had not been aware, but which turned out, on investigation, to be well-documented. We did some research, scanned whatever was publicly available, and wrote an article on it. If the Prime Minister had read it before deciding on a new Ambassador to Washington, he would have found ample evidence on which to block Mandelson’s appointment. Among other things, it contains the smoking gun that in June 2009 Mandelson stayed at Epstein’s Manhattan townhouse, while Epstein was in prison for soliciting prostitution from a minor. That alone should have disqualified him from the Ambassadorship, from the Chancellorship, and from public life. 

Given the anti-Mandelson frenzies which have erupted since the Epstein Files releases of September 2025 and February 2026, it is worth pointing out that these concerns about him went largely unraised when he was first appointed Ambassador, even though enough was already publicly known for a group of 19-year-olds to be able to compile a dossier on him. Keir Starmer and his government, like anybody else with access to Google, must have known that Mandelson had been an associate of Epstein. It did not trouble them. They celebrated the appointment of a great statesman, the genius behind New Labour and the grandson of Herbert Morrison. The apologies which have since been made are probably the result of the public outcry, not of any real remorse at having appointed him.  

Very likely, members of the government or commentators in the media saw nothing wrong with making an Ambassador of the close friend of a disgusting paedophile. The President of the United States, after all, had been an even closer friend of the same man. It was taken for granted that friends of paedophiles, like war criminals, must be accepted as legitimate political players. Indeed, if the Mandelson principle were expanded, and friendship with war criminals became punishable by exclusion from public life, there would be hardly any Cabinet left. “No one can rule guiltlessly.” That must have been the rationale which led the government and the media to disregard Mandelson’s past; it must have been the rationale which led Mandelson himself to disregard his friend’s crimes while Epstein was still at large.  

Mandelson, whose disgrace is now so complete that he has nothing more to do than to urinate publicly in Notting Hill, deserved shunning from public life and grilling in every interview long before the release of the latest files. The stink was already there, but not enough people noticed it. 

Oxford outperforms UK tourism as university attractions hit record highs

Anisha Mohammed
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Oxford outperforms UK tourism as university attractions hit record highs

Visitor numbers to Oxford’s major attractions have risen sharply, outpacing national trends and reinforcing the city’s position as one of the UK’s most resilient tourism hubs.

New figures from the Association of Leading Visitor Attractions (ALVA) show that visits to UK attractions rose by just 2% last year, reflecting a slow post-pandemic recovery across the sector. In contrast, Oxford University’s Gardens, Libraries and Museums (GLAM) recorded 3,816,898 visitors in 2025, up from 3,559,109 in 2024: a 7% increase year-on-year.

The figures place Oxford well above the national average and mark a continued divergence between the city and wider UK trends. GLAM sites are now operating above pre-pandemic levels, while the sector nationally has yet to fully recover. 

Oxford’s performance is closely tied to the University itself. Many of the city’s most visited attractions – including the Ashmolean Museum, the Bodleian Libraries, and the Museum of Natural History – are embedded within the University and form part of its academic infrastructure as well as its public-facing identity. Several of these sites rank among the most visited attractions in the UK, with the Ashmolean alone drawing over one million visitors in 2025. 

Richard Ovenden, Head of Gardens, Libraries and Museums told Cherwell the figures reflected the University’s cultural offer, pointing to free and low-cost entry as a key driver of footfall alongside “a lively and eclectic programme of events” designed to engage diverse audiences. 

Recent exhibitions have also contributed to rising visitor numbers. The Ashmolean Museum’s ‘This Is What You Get’ exhibition explored the visual art behind Radiohead through the three-decade collaboration between Thom Yorke and artist Stanley Donwood. Featuring more than 180 works, including album cover art, sketchbooks, and previously unseen material, the exhibition drew on the band’s Oxfordshire roots and offered visitors a rare insight into the creative processes behind one of the UK’s most influential bands.

This overlap between academic and public space is central to Oxford’s appeal, but it also shapes student experience, and students themselves also play a role in sustaining this ecosystem. The University’s global reputation draws prospective applicants, visiting families, and international tourists, many of whom engage directly with college and museum spaces. As visitor numbers grow, students increasingly occupy a dual position as both users of and contributors to Oxford’s tourism economy.

The rise in attraction visits reflects a broader increase in tourism across Oxfordshire, which continues to generate significant revenue for the local economy. At a national level, ALVA attributes continued growth to the enduring appeal of cultural experiences, even during the cost-of-living crisis, with visitors prioritising heritage and leisure spending.

The figures underline Oxford’s distinctive character as a university city where academic and public life intersect. Spaces such as the Bodleian Libraries and central college sites continue to serve both students and visitors, contributing to the city’s reputation as a globally significant cultural and intellectual hub.

Council rejects Regent Park’s plan to convert Oxfam into MCR

Daniela Braw-Smith
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Council rejects Regent Park’s plan to convert Oxfam into MCR

Oxford City Council has rejected an application by Regent’s Park College to convert the Oxfam Bookshop on St Giles’ Street into its Middle Common Room (MCR), citing local regulations limiting city centre ground-floor units to specific uses such as retail, culture, tourism, and entertainment.

Regent’s Park told Cherwell that the College is “reviewing our options in light of the council’s decision”, and that the proposed change of use of the building was intended “to provide a larger, fit-for-purpose MCR and dedicated postgraduate study space to meet the needs of its expanded postgraduate body”.

The College told Cherwell that the site currently occupied by the Oxfam Bookshop “represents the best opportunity to provide an accessible, above-ground MCR within our existing on-site buildings”. The site at 56 St Giles is part of the College’s estate and is currently divided between the bookshop, which has been running since 1987, and student accommodation.

The change-of-use proposal claimed that the building was not in the city centre as officially defined and that college activities on the site would not “lead to detrimental effects” such as artificial lighting, construction, or “impact upon the significance of the heritage asset”. In their rejection of the application, the City Council did not dispute that it was unlikely that “any harm would arise from the change of use itself”, but noted that the site was, in fact, part of the city centre area by the standards of the Oxford Local Plan 2036. 

Local regulations set out acceptable uses of buildings in central Oxford, particularly in reference to sustainable development, designated heritage assets, and “ensuring the vitality of centres”. The Council documents also summarised objections to the proposal from members of the public, who noted an “effect on character of area” and “loss of community asset”, alongside fears of “noise and disturbance” and difficulties with accessible access. 

The current Regent’s Park College MCR was established in 2005, when the College had a graduate community of only 30 members, and is located underground in a former storage basement with no windows, as noted in their planning application. The College cited the fivefold expansion of the graduate student body over the past two decades and the inaccessibility of the site as reasons why the current MCR was “wholly unsuitable”. Regent’s Park’s planning application also referenced how “the University has drawn attention to the importance of suitable, inclusive facilities for postgraduate students, and the College must respond”.


The rejection of planning permission comes after Jesus College successfully converted the former Burger King on Cornmarket Street into student accommodation in 2025. Other colleges also have plans for new developments in the near future, including Magdalen College, which will be demolishing a 1960s building to construct more student housing.

Does ‘Euphoria’ no longer speak to our generation?

Emma Heagney
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Does ‘Euphoria’ no longer speak to our generation?

Should I have been watching Euphoria’s first season as an innocent, bright-eyed 14-year-old? Probably not. At the time, I thought that the chaotic lives of the characters were what I could hesitantly expect as I got older. Little did I know that I was actually destined to be a neek aiming at Oxford, but the point still stands. While I couldn’t relate to Rue’s drug-fuelled crash-outs, or Cassie and Maddy’s fights over Nate, the angst and vulnerability of the ensemble cast spoke to me, and certainly to millions of other teenagers around the world. Coupled with a Petra Collins-esque aesthetic and the familiarity of Zendaya from her Disney days, Euphoria was bound to resonate with Gen Z. So, why was the recent premiere of the third season so underwhelming?

Set several years after the second season, season three of Euphoria sees the cast of troubled teenagers in their early adulthoods, pursuing careers and supposedly dealing with the same insecurities and relationship problems they faced in high school. We are transported from a gritty yet glittery haze to a desert straight out of Breaking Bad, with a complete overhaul of the show’s aesthetics and creative direction. Town festivals and house parties are swapped for meth labs and strip clubs, but many of the characters are invested with the same immaturity as before, while their audience has grown up in the meantime.

While ‘Euphoria Sundays’ are as popular as ever on X, the behind-the-scenes chaos plaguing the show is just as notorious. Just last week, season one and two composer Labrinth announced that his music would not appear in the third season, after being treated “like shit” by associates of the show. Although it is unclear exactly what happened between Labrinth, HBO, and writer Sam Levinson, the absence of Labrinth’s unique score has changed the feel of the show entirely. To add fuel to the fire, Labrinth also released music on the last ‘Euphoria Sunday’, leading fans to speculate that this was originally meant for the show. What was once a common thread between years-apart seasons is now an awkward Hans Zimmer-filled placeholder, lacking a clear vision. When the third season hinges entirely on the premise of a time-jump, aesthetic and thematic continuity is needed more than ever, but highly publicised fallouts like these only weaken the show’s identity.

Additionally, while it is yet to be seen whether major players from past seasons will return, several fan favourites are confirmed to have left the show for good. Actors Angus Cloud (Fezco O’Neill) and Eric Dane (Cal Jacobs) sadly passed away in 2023 and 2026, respectively, with Dane’s final scenes as Cal airing posthumously in the upcoming season. Other cast members are also said to be missing from the third season, including Algee Smith (Chris McKay), Barbie Ferreira (Kat Hernandez), and Storm Reid (Gia Bennett). Most shocking, however, may be that lead actor Hunter Schafer (Jules Vaughn) did not appear at all in the season premiere. An overhaul of characters does not bode well for the series, especially given the countless allegations of a toxic working environment, including from Oscar-nominated actor Colman Domingo.

These issues point to a wider problem with the show’s production, which has resulted in the loss of Gen Z’s attention: simply, too much time has passed. While Skins, a comparable British TV show, grew annually with its audience, Euphoria has taken six years to develop just three seasons, which can be a risky outcome for a coming-of-age drama. The four-year gap between the second and third seasons can be felt in the performances on screen; Jacob Elordi, in particular, does not seem to have his heart in it anymore. Why would he? After Oscar and BAFTA nominations, and partnerships with Hugo Boss and TAG Heuer, Euphoria may now be little more than a contractual obligation, instead of a significant step up from The Kissing Booth. Watching Elordi and Sweeney engage in pet play (yes, really) in the new season’s first episode is excruciating, devoid of any sexual chemistry or enjoyment. Thankfully, Zendaya’s excellent performance as chaotic, masc lesbian Rue is the saving grace of the show, proving the bittersweet point that her carefully-crafted character has been let down by the show’s writing.

If the aesthetic, cast, and music of the first two seasons were irrevocably stripped away to reveal a bland artistic landscape, the writing suffered an even worse fate. Admittedly, Euphoria was never a feminist masterpiece, and much can be said about the reliance of the early seasons on Sydney Sweeney’s naked body. But, fundamentally, they had something to say about the exploitation of women and the sexual politics of teenagers. Whether it was Rue’s drug addiction, Cassie’s abortion, or Maddy’s experience of domestic violence, Euphoria was never afraid to deal with hard-hitting issues and explore the emotional effects of adversity.

Fast forward to season three, and the picture is very different. Sexual scenes are ramped up and appear to be fetish content more than anything else. Rue’s reintroduction to the series sees her working as a drug mule, smuggling fentanyl from Mexico to the United States – naturally, this requires that we watch her swallow large balls of drugs, while sticking her fingers in her mouth, gagging, and salivating intensely. Likewise, Cassie attempts to fund her wedding by becoming an OnlyFans model, which obviously means that the audience must see her creating fetish porn. There is no critical lens held up to their actions, as there perhaps would have been in the past. No exploration of how it may feel for Rue to be exploited in this way, no exploration of Cassie’s relationship with her body. Rather, we are met with scenes designed to shock, disgust, but also arouse, perhaps a manifestation of the writer’s fantasies – the same writer who directed The Idol in 2023, which was critically panned for its sleazy approach to “shocking” sexual themes.


The demand for a third season of Euphoria was high, given that season two had ended on a cliffhanger, and the plot had captured the hearts of Gen Z. Yet, the time taken for this season to materialise failed to account for the audience’s dwindling desire, and the principal actors’ introductions to high-brow, award-winning cinema. A lack of interest from the audience seems to have been matched by a lack of interest from the actors themselves, including the few who chose to stay on at all. The show refuses to grow with its audience, instead pandering to the lowest common denominator of horny men turned on by Sydney Sweeney. If season three continues in this way, what could have been a powerful yet hilarious representation of youthful angst and drama will have literally lost the plot.

Magdalen College Choir to admit girls for first time in 500-year history

Anisha Mohammed
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Magdalen College Choir to admit girls for first time in 500-year history

Magdalen College has announced that girls will be admitted as choristers for the first time in the Choir’s history, marking a momentous change for one of the University of Oxford’s longest-standing choral traditions.

The Choir, established under the College statutes of 1480, has until now included only boy choristers, drawn from Magdalen College School, who sing the treble line alongside adult clerks. Informator Choristarum Mark Williams told Cherwell that the introduction of girls as choristers represents “a very significant change… quite a turning point in our long history”. Some adult female clerks have been admitted in recent years.

The decision follows Magdalen College School’s planned transition to co-education from 2027. From that point, choristerships will be open to both boys and girls aged 8 to 13. The first girls are expected to join the Choir in September next year, with a fully mixed treble line anticipated by 2031.

This change will also be reflected in the College’s May Morning tradition, when the Choir sings from the top of Magdalen Tower on the 1st May to welcome the coming of spring. Williams told Cherwell: “The first girls will sing as trebles from the top of the tower on May Morning 2028, and the first fully-mixed cohort of trebles will sing the May Morning ceremony in 2032.”

Williams described the choristership as “a demanding experience, but also a hugely formative one”, involving daily rehearsals and services alongside academic study. He told Cherwell that the College has “a duty to create an environment in which boys and girls can grow and flourish alongside each other”.

The College has also indicated that it consulted with other institutions that have introduced mixed treble lines. Williams said these conversations suggested that such changes have “brought benefits to the boys, and to the whole group”, as well as enabling girls to access opportunities previously limited to them.

The move aligns with broader developments in the UK choral sector. Over the past three decades, many cathedral and college choirs have introduced provision for girl choristers, and there are now more girls than boys singing as choristers nationally. Within Oxford, ensembles such as the girl choristers of Merton College and Frideswide Voices at Christ Church have become established parts of the city’s choral landscape.

Magdalen College has also pointed to earlier steps towards greater inclusion within its musical life. Its first female organ scholar, Anna Lapwood, came to the College in 2013 and has since gone on to a highly successful career. 

Magdalen has also announced measures aimed at widening access. Choristers are educated at Magdalen College School, with the College currently covering two-thirds of fees. Under new arrangements, additional bursaries will be available, with the possibility of full financial support. Williams told Cherwell this means choristerships could be open “to any child, regardless of sex or the financial means of their family”.

The College stated that the changes are intended to expand access while maintaining the Choir’s existing commitments to daily chapel services and musical standards. To support the transition, the College will expand the number of chorister places to 18.

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