Woodstock: Blenheim Palace European summit gets mixed welcome

Sir Keir Starmer will have an early opportunity to make a good impression with fellow European leaders at Blenheim Palace in Oxfordshire.

He will host another 46 leaders for the fourth European Political Community summit on Thursday.

The World Heritage Site, usually a big pull to the town, has been closed since the weekend and road closures will remain until Friday.

But outside the cordon in Woodstock, a stone’s throw from the palace, the summit has had a mixed reception.

Geoffrey Naf, who runs Woodstock Butchers, predicts trade has been hit by about 50%.

“A lot of my locals can’t get in from the outlying villages because the roads are closed,” he said.

“I have had everyone asking me, ‘Are we even bothering to open on Thursday?'”

He added: “Obviously, I’m here, I’ve got work to do and hopefully might make a few pounds over the till – but I’m not feeling very hopeful about today.”

Mark Harris, from Woodstock Grocers, said his business was set to lose between £500 and £1,000 because of the summit.

“People are frightened to come into Woodstock,” he said.

“All the signs coming into Woodstock say avoid the area, so what shoppers are going to be here? None,” he said.

Is he proud the summit is being held in Oxfordshire?

“No,” he replied.

“It shouldn’t be here. It should be somewhere where it’s not going to be affecting locals.”

Former US president Donald Trump visited Blenheim Palace, and the then prime minister Theresa May, on the first part of his first UK visit in July 2018.

But it is thought this is the most leaders the palace – famed as Sir Winston Churchill’s birthplace – has hosted at the same time.

Yet despite some irritation at the road closures and disruption, there is plenty of local pride and excitement.

Dog walker Isabelle Phillips had a challenging morning stroll around Woodstock.

She said her dog Peggy loves officers in uniform and hi-vis jackets.

“We’ve been playing a little game of count the police officer to see how many we can say hello to,” she said.

“I think it’s because the palace staff at the gates always have a tin of dog biscuits. And so anyone who is in any type of uniform, or high-vis jacket, she thinks has treats.”

Janey Velasquez is a teacher at Woodstock Primary School.

“I’m excited to see the children coming in this morning because I know there will be a lot of talk about it,” she said.

“We’re proud to be on Blenheim’s doorstep – we’re kind of relishing it.

“It’s quite nice to turn on the TV and see our local landmark there; it makes us feel important.”

On a personal level, getting into work was “probably easier than normal” on Thursday, she said.

“The only difference was that I had a policeman at the bottom of my road and that’s never happened before. I get the bus and it was on time and empty so I’m winning.”

Bethan Nimmo

Political reporter, BBC Radio Oxford

The town is relatively quiet, apart from so many police officers.

There are police officers on bikes, police officers on horses, there are armed police walking around Woodstock – which is not something you usually see.

Then through the town we’ve seen motorcade after motorcade to get world leaders – from Oxford Airport I imagine – straight into the palace itself.

Calum Miller, Bicester and Woodstock’s Lib Dem MP – who was elected earlier this month, said he was aware there was a “mix” of feelings about the summit.

“I’m aware many have been inconvenienced by what’s going on but it’s also, I hope, a source of real pride to have all of these leaders coming to our beautiful part of Oxfordshire to meet and have some really important discussions over the course of the day,” he added.