Squirrel away with us this Easter!
Celebrate Easter this year by joining us on Good Friday between 11am and 2pm.
Our Nutkin Squirrels will be roaming the centre surprising and delighting our visitors. You might be lucky and get a selfie too!
Mystic Games have now opened their doors to the visitors of Woolgate Shopping Centre.
This local gaming shop is focused on running event and tournaments for a wide choice of trading card’s and tabletop games.
It’s a place to bring people together and experience card, board, fantasy, tabletop games on a local and professional level.
Please check out their website here:
https://www.mysticgames.co.uk/
Just for Pets, who are passionate about pets has opened its door to the visitors of Woolgate Shopping Centre.
The popular pet shop are a team of friendly, knowledgeable, pet people who offer a wide range of products, carefully selected with your pet’s health and well-being in mind. They believe that owning a pet should be rewarding and fun.
Check out their website for all their top quality products:
From the 1st March 2022 legal restrictions have been lifted concerning COVID control measures in public spaces, but we want to assure visitors to The Woolgate Shopping Centre that our retailers are still working hard to keep shoppers safe. This may mean face coverings and other social distancing measures are requested in certain stores. To keep everyone safe, please take time to review information regarding COVID safety measures at the entrances to stores and follow the guidance from shop staff upon entry.
Please note all opening times are subject to change and shoppers are advised to visit retailers’ websites for the most up to date information.
As of the 20th December, the confirmed dates where each Woolgate retailer will be closed are as follows:
Closed 23rd December: Bensons for Beds
Closed 24th December: Hays Travel; Bensons for Beds
Closed Christmas Day: All retailers closed
Closed Boxing Day 26th December: Holland and Barrett; Specsavers; Hays Travel; Waitrose; Next; Charles Clinkard; Rapture; Michael Lynes
Closed 27th December: Michael Lynes
Closed New Year’s Day 1st January: Vodafone; Specsavers; Hays Travel; Waitrose; Charles Clinkard
Unless listed, retailers have said they intend to open over Boxing Day and New Year’s Day, albeit on Sunday hours/Bank Holiday hours. All may change if COVID restrictions are adapted or expanded to include the closure of non-essential retail stores.
Following the Government briefing at the weekend regarding the new COVID-19 variant. From the 30th November certain legal restrictions have been put back in place. Therefore it is now mandatory to wear face coverings in all stores, unless exempt.
To keep everyone safe, please take time to review information regarding COVID safety measures at the entrances to stores and follow the guidance from shop staff upon entry. The signage and messaging displayed in the public areas of the shopping centre won’t change at this time as this still represents the best guidance for mitigating COVID risk, specifically:
-Please have a face covering with you ready to use during your visit
-Please give other people space
-Please take advantage of hand sanitising stations where provided
Please respect everybody and keep Witney safe.
Thank you.
From the 19th July 2021 most legal restrictions have been lifted concerning COVID control measures in public spaces, but we want to assure visitors to The Woolgate Shopping Centre that our retailers are still working hard to keep shoppers safe. This may mean face coverings and other social distancing measures are requested in certain stores. To keep everyone safe, please take time to review information regarding COVID safety measures at the entrances to stores and follow the guidance from shop staff upon entry. The signage and messaging displayed in the public areas of the shopping centre won’t change at this time as this still represents the best guidance for mitigating COVID risk, specifically:
-Please have a face covering with you ready to use during your visit
-Please give other people space
-Please take advantage of hand sanitising stations where provided
Please respect everybody and keep Witney safe.
Thank you.
Following the recent Government’s decision to move into lockdown from 6th January, all retailers at Woolgate Shopping Centre will close from this date with the exception of essential retailers:
Waitrose
Superdrug
Holland and Barrett
WH Smith inc The Post Office
Starbucks – take away only
Costa – take away only
Specsavers
Vision Express
While you’re shopping please respect the guidelines put in place to ensure the safety of our customers and staff
Thank You
Great news, following the recent national lockdown we’re pleased to announce that all our retailers have now re-opened in Woolgate Shopping Centre.
We have introduced some Covid-19 guidelines to ensure the safety of our customers and staff, please refer to the most recent government guidelines for information as to how you can stay safe during your visit.
Here’s a link to the information which also includes the tier 2 restrictions
https://www.gov.uk/find-coronavirus-local-restrictions
Following the change in restrictions for all retail shops from 15th June, we’re delighted to welcome shoppers back to the Woolgate shopping centre.
Retailers who are already open or reopening on the 15th June:
Opening Times
Please take a look at retailers’ social media channels and websites for news on individual store opening times and days as these may vary. Details of what precautions are being made to keep shoppers safe are also available to review on retailers’ websites.
Planning your visit:
Please note that there are restrictions on the numbers of customers who can shop in stores at any one time, as well as limits on how many can queue for entry. Please consider visiting outside of peak hours (11am to 2pm) if possible to avoid disappointment. Some retailers such as Specsavers, Vision Express and H.Samuel are offering appointment booking through their websites.
A “no stopping zone” has been implemented through the mall to avoid congestion and to ensure safe social distancing is maintained.
Please take note of signage at the shopping centre and in retailers’ stores for other instructions to help keep everyone safe as they shop.
In line with Government guidance on 23 March calling for an escalation of Coronavirus social distancing measures, Woolgate Shopping Centre is now closed for all retailers except those providing essential goods and services – food & grocery, pharmacies, health and wellness organisations and post offices.
The following retailers remain open to visit:
Retailers’ social media channels and websites for news on individual store closures or opening times. The situation is evolving quickly so please be aware that published opening hours may vary among retailers and change at short notice.
We are working hard to ensure that we can continue to provide a level of service to support retailers who are continuing to trade and serving their communities at this time.
We would like to thank our retailers who are all working extremely hard in very challenging and unprecedented circumstances to ensure visitors are able to access goods and services. We would appreciate your support in respecting Government’s advice to adhere to social distancing.
Thank You
At Woolgate, we’re all about bringing communities together and supporting nobel causes which is why we spared no hesitation to take part in this year’s Witney In Pink to support breast cancer awareness and research.
This year marks the 20th Anniversary of Witney in Pink and was the biggest success yet with over $5,500 raised all across town through tombolas, cake sales (of which we were particular fans of!) and many more activities and stalls across the town centre. At Woolgate, we decorated all our window displays in Pink to show support to the community and to the cause at large.
Witney’s community flocked over and created an electric atmosphere that made us fall in love with our beautiful town all over again. Performers amped up the already buzzing feel with such delights as the Oxfordshire Rock Choir Flash Mob, as well as the drivers for the Pink Car Parade that delighted us on the day.
It was a huge success and we are extremely proud to be part of such a wonderful community.
It is with great pride and honour that we announce Woolgate has won a Bronze Green Apple Award 2019 in the “Beautiful Buildings” category.
This accolade is described on the Green Organisation’s website as:
“The Beautiful Buildings sector in the International Green Apple Environment Awards for the Built Environment aims to recognise and reward those buildings that make a positive visual impact on our built environment around the world.”
The award was presented to us by Martin Kiszko, a composer and poet whose work brings attention to environmental issues, during a carbon-neutral presentation ceremony held at The Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA) in London.
A donation was made on Woolgate’s behalf to Green Earth Appeal, whose plantings in emerging nations not only help the environment and wildlife, but also create job opportunities for the local populations.
The Down’s Syndrome Oxford Charity choir are making it’s debut performance on Sunday the 24th of March from 1pm.
The choir will be performing under the clock tower at the centre, for the first ever time. The Down’s Syndrome Oxford Charity will be accepting donations from anyone who wishes to support.
It will be a great afternoon of live music, all whilst fundraising for an amazing organisation. Please join us and show your support.
Lucy Rose will be live in-store on Saturday the 23rd of March, at 3pm…
Lucy Rose’s brand new album, ‘No Words Left’ will be available to buy on the 22nd of March on CD and LP. Be sure to pre-order it online or in-store to guarantee entry on Saturday!
Oh help.. Oh no! It’s a GRUFFALO!
Join us as we celebrate the 20th anniversary of the international children’s classic: The Gruffalo.
From 9am-5:30pm Waterstones will have lots of fun activities for you to enjoy, including mazes, hunts and colouring!
The store will also be having shared Story Telling sessions at 10:30am and 2:30am
We look forward to seeing you all there!
Wednesday 19th September 19:00 at Como Lounge, 34 Market Square, Witney, OX28 6BB
In July 1978, the bodies of Penny’s brother Chris and his girlfriend Peta Frampton were found floating off the coast of Guatemala. They had been tortured, bound and weighed down with engine parts. The doctor who carried out the autopsy stated that “the aspects of [both corpses] were monstrous”.
Local author Penny Farmer, recently featured on the BBC and on ITV, recounts the harrowing and incredible story of the murder of her brother and his girlfriend, how she and her family tracked down the killer of her brother and his girlfriend, who was on the run for 38 years – on Facebook, of all places!
We’re delighted to welcome Penny Farmer for an evening where she will give a talk, answer questions and sign copies
of her book.
Miniature Shetland pony Mr Fuddles will delight his fans when he trots out to highlight the up-coming Oxfordshire Young Farmers County Show & Rally. The pint-sized pony, and star of his own Facebook and Instagram pages, will make a special appearance under the clock tower of Witney’s Woolgate Shopping Centre on April 14 when local shoppers can find out more about the young farmers’ main event of the year.
Planning for the 2018 Oxfordshire Young Farmers County Show & Rally is well underway. This year’s annual showcase of farming and rural skills comes to Ducklington in West Oxfordshire with a day of live entertainment, displays, competitions and crafts for the whole family.
More than 7,000 people are expected to attend the bank holiday weekend event on Saturday, May 26, organised by Witney Young Farmers Club. It promises plenty of fun with main arena events of sheep dog trials, terrier racing, Suffolk Punch heavy horse display and a daring demonstration of motorcycle skills and stunts.
There will be craft, trade and food stalls, with local farmers’ markets, and a countryside area with livestock.
Visitors will be able to take part in activities including clay pigeon shooting and a climbing wall, and learn about aspects of farming life with a ‘live’ chick hatching area and how to milk a cow.
For those who like big machines, a fascinating display of the very latest agricultural machinery will showcase today’s farming in action, as well as a nostalgic look at tractors and farm vehicles of yesteryear with a parade of vintage machinery.
Witney’s Woolgate Shopping Centre has provided significant support to three local charities over November and December as they raised more than £1,619.16 in just three days.
Medical Detection Dogs, Witney Lions and The Barn Owl Centre, Gloucester, all spent a day in the Centre with Woolgate providing support to help them raise money for their worthwhile causes.
Woolgate Shopping Centre has worked with a number of its partners this year to help support them with their causes and raise awareness about the work that they do. On top of these charities, Woolgate has also worked with the local Windrush Bike Project throughout the year to provide free bicycle health checks in the centre and get people interested in cycling.
Adam Highmore-Talbot, Centre Manager for Woolgate Shopping Centre, said: “We are absolutely delighted that these three brilliant charities raised such a substantial sum in such a short space of time. We aim to develop strong relationships with causes and organisations that make a difference to our community and raise awareness about some serious issues. Thank you to all who donated.”
The Lost Words
Robert Macfarlane and Jackie Morris
The Lost Words is a vital compendium of language slipping from the grasp of young people – bluebell, lark, newt, kingfisher – presented as a series of acrostic spells that engage both mind and eye. The work of artist Jackie Morris and acclaimed writer Robert Macfarlane (the author of The Old Ways and Landmarks), this is a glorious celebration of the natural world to be both loved and heeded.
Good Night Stories for Rebel Girls
Elena Favilli and Francesca Cavallo
A global phenomenon, Elena Favilli and Francesca Cavallo’s project to seek out and celebrate exceptional female role models struck an instant, powerful chord. Few books have had such immediate success in opening up a dialogue between boys and girls of all ages, combining striking portrait illustration with life stories of genuine inspiration and achievement.
Lincoln in the Bardo
George Saunders
A grieving president hurtles headlong into the afterlife, to save the soul of his dead child. In Lincoln in the Bardo, George Saunders seizes this singular concept and delivers a pyrotechnic, Man Booker Prize-winning performance that manages to be both beguiling and humane. The story of Lincoln’s grief, at the time when the nation he led was in such peril, achieves in Saunders’ hands an almost mythic status.
Representatives from the Woolgate Shopping Centre collected the Gold Award in the Property and Estate Management Energy Saving category at the Green Apple Awards, an initiative which recognises the environmentally-friendly efforts of businesses and organisations to make a difference and reduce carbon footprint.
The Centre Management team is delighted to receive this accolade and will continue to focus on ways to reduce its carbon footprint further.
A RETAILING success story in the heart of Witney is this week marking 30 years since it first opened its doors to the public. With the new Westgate Centre drawing thousands into the centre of Oxford, Witney has been celebrating the birthday of its own Woolgate Shopping Centre, which officially opened on October 30, 1987.
The centre in High Street, which is visited by more than four million people a year, boasts a wide range of shops, combining big names with independent retailers in a building that has received accolades for its quality.
Adam Highmore Talbot, centre manager, said: “We are proud to be celebrating the 30th anniversary of a shopping centre which many local residents continue to enjoy, whether for the free parking, green space, customer service, retailer line-up or its convenience for click and collect.
“Our retail line-up, along with the free parking offer, has continued to ensure that we are first choice outside of the busier and bigger retail destinations such as Banbury Gateway, Bicester Village, Swindon Outlet Village or the Orchard Centre in Didcot.”
The centre has fought down the years to keep a strong line-up of traders, and has benefited from free car parking, which helps it to attract about 4.5 million visitors each year. It has worked with West Oxfordshire District Council to protect the three hours of free parking that it is able to offer to customers.
Staff at the Woolgate Centre marked the 30th anniversary on Monday with a tree-planting ceremony near the complex, attended by pupils from Wood Green School in the town. It came after a recent 1980s-themed party night brought back memories of the centre’s early days.
West Oxfordshire District Council leader James Mills said he was delighted to celebrate the centre’s special birthday and was keen to see it continue to grow in the future.
He said: “The Woolgate Centre proves that a combination of good planning and sound management can be a lasting success even in a challenging and highly competitive retail environment. “I look forward to seeing it continue to flourish in the coming years.”
Woolgate, in the heart of Witney, is a vibrant, friendly, shopping destination with a large car park with free parking
The Woolgate Centre, Market Square,
Witney, Oxfordshire OX28 6AP