University of Oxford
University Parks
Creating beautiful green spaces for everyone to enjoy
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Frequently Asked Questions

Deliveries to University Parks are taken at the Tentorium which is the site of the Parks office. The office is normally open between 08:00 – 17:00, Monday to Friday. To contact us by telephone please ring 01865 282040 or use the telephone, in the grey box next to the front door, at South Lodge (on the South Parks Road side of the Parks), on arrival at the Parks for further advice.

The only vehicular access to the Parks is via the South Lodge entrance, South Parks Road OX1 3RF. This is at the junction of South Parks Road and St Cross Road next to Linacre College. This gate is normally open from 07:00 until dusk. There is an access control bollard inside the Parks with an intercom. Deliveries are not accepted at weekends except by prior agreement.

Items found in the Parks can be handed in at the Tentorium or contact the University Security Service on 01865 272944.

Yes, well-behaved dogs are always welcome as long as owners keep them under control at all times. Please ensure that any waste is cleared up and deposited in an appropriate bin.

Please fill in our lost property form and a member of our team will be in contact.

Complete form

Access for wheelchair users is good through most gates. There are RADAR locks on the gates adjoining the cycle track to the rear of South Lodge and at Music Meadow. There is no wheelchair access through the Cox's Corner gate and restricted access through the Lady Margaret Hall gate. Most pathways are wheelchair friendly.

Cycling in the Parks presents a potential danger for other users. Unfortunately, several trials of allowing people to push their bikes through the Parks have always led to a large number of cyclists choosing to ride through the Parks – becoming a nuisance to pedestrians.

Therefore, only members of the University Parks and the Security Services teams may ride or be in possession of a bike within the Parks' perimeter.

Cycle racks can be found at the end of Keble Road set into the pavement. There are also cycle racks near the Genetic Garden entrance, in the Gene Function Building's covered walkway into the Parks (please ensure you lock your cycle securely).

Primarily, University Parks is available for the enjoyment of members of the University, local residents, and visitors to Oxford. The policy of the Curators of the Parks is to make as much of the space available to those user groups free of charge all year round.

Parts of the Parks can be hired by individuals and community groups as a unique setting for private parties and events. Each application is carefully considered by the Curators. It is not possible to agree to every request and the Curators take many factors into consideration as part of the decision making process.

To discuss any request, or to find out more, email the Parks Administrator university.parks@admin.ox.ac.uk or call 01865 282040.

There are no retail facilities in the Parks and the Parks Curators do not permit the sale of goods within the Parks without written permission. Please email any requests to university.parks@admin.ox.ac.uk or write to the Curators at University Parks, South Lodge, South Parks Road, OX1 3RF.

Full details are available here.

Contact the University's Security Services team (operating 24/7) on 01865 272944. If you do not have a phone, make your way to the emergency phone in the grey box next to the front door at South Lodge (on the South Parks Road side of the Parks) which will put you in direct contact with the Security Services team.

First Aid facilities are available at the Parks office at the Tentorium during normal working hours (Monday to Friday 08:00 – 17:00) telephone 01865 282040.  If you are unable to contact a member of the Parks team, or if the office is closed, contact the University's Security Service team (unless Emergency Services are required) on 01865 289999. This is a 24 hour service. All patrol staff are First Aid qualified and if necessary will co-ordinate their response with the Emergency Services.

Public toilets are located next to the Cricket Pavilion and include RADAR facilities for wheelchair users.

The Curators of the University Parks are committed to preserving the character as well as the landscape of the Parks, and it is not appropriate that the University Parks take on the role of a garden of remembrance. Changes to the planting and furnishing of the University Parks are guided by a long term strategic plan, so we cannot respond to individual requests to plant trees or install new seating. However, we can arrange for memorial plaques to be attached to an existing seat in return for a donation of £700 towards both purchasing the plaque and ongoing general bench maintenance. Please contact the Parks Office if you would like more details about this.

Full details are available here.

We always try to accommodate requests for filming. Please phone the Administration Office on  01865 282046 to discuss your needs.

The marked sports pitches must not be used for unauthorised games. Areas allocated for informal games are marked in yellow on Parks' maps and by white posts in the Parks.

Send your request to the Administration Officer by emailing university.parks@admin.ox.ac.uk or call the Office on 01865 282040.

You can make a one-off or recurring donation using our web form. Your generosity is very much appreciated and helps support the University Parks team's work.

Please contact university.parks@admin.ox.ac.uk for permission.