@OBAG
@OBAG_Oxford
The Oxford Business Action Group champions the needs of local businesses in the city.
Last night saw the official launch of the Oxford Business Action Group. Thank you to all the local Oxford traders, councillors, and council economic development staff who attended, for making it such a successful launch. Thanks also to the @OldBankHotel for kindly hosting.
It's a wet Saturday lunchtime just before the start of the state school holidays. Thames Street, near the Westgate shopping centre, is refusing to become the congestion emergency some claim Oxford is. P.s. remind us how many buses use this road, compared with Speedwell Street?
Manchester backs down on the Clean Air Zone. @fsb_policy said it would 'hammer businesses'. Inexplicably @oxfordshirecc and @oxfordcity has a Zero Emissions Zone in the pipeline for Oxford despite NO2 pollution targets having already been met. manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/greater-m…
"The city’s medieval splendour feels blighted by cruddy stores selling the same Cambridge University sweatshirts you see hanging in the West End." @RowanPelling could just as easily be writing about Oxford. @OxfordCity @oxfordshirecc please read. telegraph.co.uk/news/2025/07/2…
Oxford's business owners explain how they are no longer able to rely on local trade. 700K people live in Oxfordshire but it's been made harder for them to reach the shops. thisisoxfordshire.co.uk/comments/25325…
New figures show that hospitality has lost 84,000 jobs since the Budget - accounting for almost half of all job losses across the economy. At the Budget, the Government needs to lower business rates, fix NICs and cut VAT #TaxedOut telegraph.co.uk/business/2025/…
Multiple Botley Road business owners are told they don't qualify for the goodwill payment from Network Rail for loss of business due to the road closure. @fsb_policy oversaw the decision which seems rather random and needs revisiting. bbc.co.uk/news/articles/…
“Overnight it’s pushed many businesses from being viable, dynamic and vibrant to being unviable and fearful for their future.” Our Chair @UKHospKate spoke to the @Telegraph about the impact of increased employer NICs on the sector. #TaxedOut telegraph.co.uk/business/2025/…
Unfortunately, we're seeing a downturn in hiring among Oxford's small businesses as they try to trim costs to pay for the the extra taxation from Labour.
Job Market Suffers Worst Slump in More Than Four Years Under Labour order-order.com/2025/07/14/job…
Job Market Suffers Worst Slump in More Than Four Years Under Labour order-order.com/2025/07/14/job…
£500K already spent on the consultation for pedestrianising Witney's High Street leaving this largely unwanted scheme under funded. The Witney Chamber of Commerce calls it 'a disaster'. witneygazette.co.uk/news/25291511.…
ULEZ expansion - devastating impact on high street. According to new figures from property analysts firm CoStar, the vacancy rate for shops across all London boroughs soared to 6.2pc this year, compared to 1.9pc in areas immediately outside of the capital.telegraph.co.uk/business/2025/…
“The council is casually experimenting on Oxford's small business owners during a cost-of-living crisis and risking thousands of livelihoods in the process." OBAG spokesman in the Oxford Mail today. oxfordmail.co.uk/news/25298058.…
Hospitality is the beating heart of our economy and communities, but we’re being #TaxedOut. We are calling on the Gov't to act in the Budget. ✅Lower business rates ✅Fix NICs ✅Cut VAT We’re making our voice heard & we need yours too. Find out more 👉ukhospitality.org.uk/campaigns/taxe…
Independent councillor, Saj Malik, is campaigning to reinstate the customer parking on Marsh Road in Cowley which Labour removed. We're pleased to see initiatives like these where councillors recognise just how important it is that customers can arrive by all forms of transport.
During a cost of living crisis and with unprecedented operating costs for businesses, it's difficult to grasp why the council is deterring customers by making it harder to get around Oxford. oxfordmail.co.uk/news/25229344.…
“If this project goes ahead, my business will be completely destroyed. We have customers from the local community. How are they going to carry their items if there’s no parking for vehicles?” southwarknews.co.uk/news/community…
The Green Party councillors in the Forest of Dean recognise the importance of shoppers arriving by car by giving the first hour of parking free of charge. gloucestershirelive.co.uk/news/glouceste…
Lots of 'nice words' from council and Network Rail officials to struggling Botley Road business owners but absolutely nothing of any substance has been done to help them. oxfordmail.co.uk/news/25163288.…
"Those affected include businesses cut off from their customers". @josephharker in today's Guardian acknowledging the negative impact of LTNs on bricks and mortar high street shops. theguardian.com/commentisfree/…
Good to hear new Independent County Cllr Saj Malik mention the difficulties that trades have getting to jobs in Oxford. We welcome his support.
Saj Malik has become the first independent candidate to gain a seat Oxfordshire County Council so far. He won 1,299 votes, with the Labour candidate Mhairi Beken coming second with 709 votes. Cowley has historically been a Labour seat.