Twenty five years ago...

OFFICE workers have been accused of sabotaging an initiative to get more shoppers to use Henley’s car parks. They have come under fire for using a reduction in the charging period to cut the parking price. This means long-stay parkers can feed pay machines for as little as £1.20 to dodge the official £6. The problem comes after South Oxfordshire District Council cut charging times to 10am to 4pm to encourage off-peak use.

Traders are set to profit from Henley’s tourist invasion by opening for business on summer Sundays. They have been asked to consider the move because Henley Chamber of Commerce believes the town is missing a potential windfall. President David Rusman said Henley also needed to do more to cater for thousands of weekend visitors.

Alarmed villagers are promising a cross-river battle to stop Remenham land being turned into a car park for Henley. They have vowed to sink plans to create park-and-walk sites in their green belt areas. Tony Southwell, chairman of Remenham Parish Council, said: “They’re pushing a problem on to our side of the river.”