Play Street

[Sarah Shebbeare]

Dear all, 

Isabel Tate and I are meeting at 6pm at The Anchor this Thursday 12th to discuss the idea of setting up ocassional “Play street” afternoons on Hayfield Road. 

It’s a concept that the council approves of which involves closing off a residential street to traffic for a couple of hours on Sunday afternoons to allow residents to step out of their front door and spend time together in an informal way. No big planning involved: kids get to play in the street, adults can chat over tea, musical instrument are encouraged, so are bake sales, chalk drawings, arts and crafts, sharing of allotment produce etc etc. 

When a car/bike does need to get through, we would retreat to the pavement, though overall the idea is to try to minimise traffic during the two hours it takes place. There would be plenty of notice to residents before we held “play street” and we would use wheelie bins to shut off one end of the street alongside banners provided by the council. 

It’s a great way to get to know neighbours better. As per Catherine Robinson’s wonderful book about Hayfield Road, in the early 1900: “on summer evenings the women would put chairs out on the pavement and sit gossiping outside their front door while the children played in the dusk”. 

Wouldn’t it be wonderful to rekindle some of that this Spring/Summer? 

Here’s a bit more information:

https://oxonplay.org.uk/street-play-3/

If you’d like to join Isobel and I at the Anchor on Thursday for a brief chat to discuss the idea further, please do. Or you can email sa...@shebbeare.com with any thoughts/concerns/questions. 

Thanks

Sarah at number 14. 

[Anthony Kedros]

Dear Sarah & Isabel,

 

            It’s a lovely, Utopian idea, but I would point out that Sunday is the only day of the week when visitors’ parking restrictions are lifted.

 

            This means, for me (I can’t speak for anyone else), it is the best day for family and friends to visit.

 

            With best wishes,

 

Anthony E Kedros

55 Hayfield Road, Oxford, OX2 6TX, UK

T +44 (0)1865 513 224, M (0)7932 166 793

ant...@kedros.co.uk

www.ouspenskytoday.org

--
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "HayfieldRoad" group. Tell your neighbours to join - all they have to do is send an email to "hayfieldroa...@googlegroups.com"
 
To send to this group, send email to "hayfie...@googlegroups.com"
 
For more options, visit this group at
http://groups.google.com/group/hayfieldroad?hl=en
---
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "HayfieldRoad" group.
To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to hayfieldroad...@googlegroups.com.
To view this discussion, visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/hayfieldroad/6363606e-356f-4e87-a446-0acc50a9a4a5n%40googlegroups.com.

[Catherine Hilliard]

I think this arrangement is only being suggested for half a dozen Sundays a year.

Ch

To view this discussion, visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/hayfieldroad/!%26!AAAAAAAAAAAuAAAAAAAAAAlmUaGk3hBPh5f6cwzQXG0BAMO2jhD3dRHOtM0AqgC7tuYAAAAAAA4AABAAAADGeubbjIGrTpHcA%2BMNKur2AQAAAAA%3D%40kedros.co.uk.

[Cindy Skach]

Dear Anthony, 

This is an important consideration, I’m glad you raised it. 

However, I’m sure there is a way for the various constituencies on the Road to have time for their respective leisure activities. For example, if the playstreet happens once every month on a Sunday, that would give residents the remaining three weeks each month for visitors and other activities. 

As for it being utopian, well, it really isn’t. It has been, and is being, practiced successfully around the world. 

I took the liberty of asking ChatGTP to offer us one proof of concept image, for the sake of provoking more thought and discussion. Image attached. None of the people in it are real and of course it’s AI so odd, but I attach it nevertheless, in case it helps discussion. I’m sure we could do much better!

Best wishes,

Cindy 

On Mon, 9 Feb 2026 at 11:47, Anthony Kedros <ant...@kedros.co.uk> wrote:

To view this discussion, visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/hayfieldroad/!%26!AAAAAAAAAAAuAAAAAAAAAAlmUaGk3hBPh5f6cwzQXG0BAMO2jhD3dRHOtM0AqgC7tuYAAAAAAA4AABAAAADGeubbjIGrTpHcA%2BMNKur2AQAAAAA%3D%40kedros.co.uk.

[Tabitha Eccles]

Hi everyone,

As a parent to a three year old, I would point out that this idea - though really lovely in concept - risks undoing all the road safety lessons that any child five / six and under may learn. Whilst I should like to dream that she is sophisticated enough to learn the concept that sometimes it’s ok to play on the road and sometimes it’s not, I know the reality is that she wouldn’t get it…

All the best

Tabitha 

To view this discussion, visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/hayfieldroad/CAOnzpr%2Bi9kTGnPDj2_ZFw-7pK%3D2G6Mxt-qn6T6G4McBc7JfCww%40mail.gmail.com.

[María de los Ángeles Molina]

Dear all,

Thank you, Sarah and Isabel, for this— I think it's a genuinely wonderful idea and I'm fully behind it.

I understand that any change to the street brings up practical questions, and those are worth discussing. On the parking concern: given that play streets would happen just a handful of times a year with plenty of advance notice, I think the occasional two-hour window is manageable and can be easily planned around. 

On the road safety point: I'd gently suggest that a car-free street, supervised by attentive adults, is actually one of the safest environments imaginable for young children. Far from confusing them, it offers a rare chance for children to experience outdoor play in a protected space — something increasingly uncommon, and genuinely valuable. Many play street programmes across the country report that children thrive in these settings!

And of course, this is entirely voluntary — there's no expectation that everyone participates. If it's not your thing on a given Sunday, that's perfectly fine. But for those who are curious or keen: this is a simple, low-cost, council-supported way to bring neighbours together, with no bureaucracy and no big commitment. Just people stepping out of their front doors and spending a couple of hours in each other's company. To me, that feels like something worth trying!

I'll be at The Anchor today and look forward to the conversation!

Best wishes,
Maria.

[Catherine Robinson]

Maria, as a non-car-owner and non-parent I don't have a particular view on this issue. But I should point out that the Anchor get-together won't be tonight -- it was last night. (Ten of us turned up. The next gathering is due to be held on Wednesday 25th. I will issue a reminder nearer the time.)

Catherine R.

To view this discussion, visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/hayfieldroad/614c09b8-b93b-4cec-b90a-66e8176061b4n%40googlegroups.com.

[Sarah Shebbeare]

Thanks all for your thoughts on Play Street, they're very much appreciated and any concerns raised have been noted. One thing i didn't mention in my initial message: we're not suggesting this is a monthly event. In my mind, it was possibly every 2 months over the spring & summer, so perhaps 3 or 4 events a year, each lasting 2 hours. I used to live on a street in London in which it was a much loved, informal community event. I know that there are several in our neighbourhood, including in Jericho and on Southmoor Road. Perhaps we could test the waters with one event and see how people feel to keep things simple.

As per my original email, do come along to the Anchor at 6pm this evening to discuss the idea further if you'd like to (this is separate to the Hayfield Road drinks Catherine organised yesterday).

Many thanks all 

Sarah

You received this message because you are subscribed to a topic in the Google Groups "HayfieldRoad" group.
To unsubscribe from this topic, visit https://groups.google.com/d/topic/hayfieldroad/JnyjiQ67kZY/unsubscribe.
To unsubscribe from this group and all its topics, send an email to hayfieldroad...@googlegroups.com.
To view this discussion, visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/hayfieldroad/e9e27654-b085-4425-bb6c-c43325852e1d%40gmail.com.

[Catherine Robinson]

Very sorry if I have unwittingly caused confusion. Didn't realise (or had forgotten) that there would be a separate meeting at The Anchor tonight to discuss the idea of a play street. -- Catherine R.