Tourists encouraged to visit little-known neighbourhood
Tourists are being encouraged to visit an off-the-beaten-track neighbourhood of a historic city.
The Visit Jericho website has launched with an easy-to-use map and directory, aimed at visitors looking to explore the lesser-known areas of Oxford.
The site, that is free to use by both visitors and local businesses, lists places to see, ranging from shops to eateries and places of recreation.
The concept was conceived by business owner and architect Paul Southouse and funded by Oxfordshire Local Enterprise Partnership.
Jericho, which is a 10-minute walk away from Oxford city centre, was built in stages between 1825 and the early 1880s, within the boundaries of Walton Street, the Oxford Canal, Worcester Place and Walton Well Road.
The team behind the platform said it was often missed by tourists to Oxford.
"We’ve been thinking about what Jericho has to offer – something more local, more authentic, but still with a lot of history and culture," said Isabella Orlando, Visit Jericho's culture and communications consultant.
"The working-class history is also part of its story, along with long-standing cultural venues and emerging buildings – it has layered history.”
She added that Jericho was "emerging as Oxford’s cultural quarter", with its mix of artists' studios, galleries, and the University of Oxford Schwarzman Centre for the Humanities that is due to open in 2025.
Mr Southouse, who is also the founder of LYNRACE MMXXI bar, said the team was "really encouraged by locations sign-up" to the website, with about 50 listings within the first week.
Saleh Elmasri, founder of Opera Cafe on Walton Street, said that it "stands out as a refreshing reminder of the neighbourhood's unique offerings and the importance of cherishing them".
Mr Southouse added that an upcoming launch event would be "a great opportunity to bring the people behind the locations together for a celebration".
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