Oxford’s Youngest-Ever Councillor Takes On New Challenge
Working alongside the Cabinet Member for Planning and Culture, James Taylor is championing the city’s vibrant events scene.
At just 22, James Taylor has been appointed Oxford City Council’s new Champion for Events, Live Music and the Nighttime Economy. One of his key ambitions is to revive the Cowley Road Carnival — the decades-old parade that drew thousands of spectators annually but has taken place only once since 2019 due to the pandemic.
‘I feel comfortable saying it was a nationally acclaimed event,’ he says.
The former Oxford Brookes student and metal music fan says he was approached for the role by a senior councillor who recognised his passion and knowledge of the sector.
‘Why don’t we make you the guy on this?’ he recalls being told. ‘You clearly know what you’re talking about.’
The post, which is unpaid and undertaken alongside his councillor duties, has two key elements. The first involves meeting with anyone hoping to run events in Oxford or enter its live music or nighttime sectors, helping them navigate the ‘red tape’ that often slows progress.
The second is more strategic: working with the council to develop policies that encourage people to create what Taylor calls ‘lovely things’ that enrich the city’s cultural life.
Reflecting on his nearly five years in Oxford — he grew up in Bromley — Taylor says the city, which produced such bands as Radiohead, Foals, and Supergrass, once had a far larger nighttime economy.
‘We still have quite a lot of good stuff, but it’s certainly seen a decline since Covid.’
His view echoes an August report by the Night Time Industries Association, which found that 26 per cent of UK towns and cities that had late-night venues — such as bars and nightclubs — in 2020 now have none. In Oxford, several long-standing sites — including The Cellar, Atik, and The Purple Turtle — have closed in recent years due to redevelopment plans and rental disputes.
Taylor, who has held the Champion role only since 6 October, says progress is already being made. Meetings with venue operators are under way to hear their concerns and determine how the council can help.
‘I can’t promise anything,’ he says. ‘But I wouldn’t be doing this if I didn’t think we could come out of this with, at the very least, more venues and things to do. I want people to be able to be someone somewhere.’