Draft Bicester Conservation Area Appraisal November 2009

Example of good shop frontExamples of less sympathetic shop frontagesThere are many buildings with commercialuse on the ground floor on North Streetparticularly close to the junction withSheep Street. The shop frontages aremostly unsympathetic additions to historicbuildings. There are a number of emptyproperties and some leases change fairlyregularly due to the peripheral town centrelocation with the lower foot fall this entails.Empty premises in poor repair detract from thestreetscene and impact on surrounding tenantsMasonic HallSome of the buildings display interestingfeatures such as the Masonic Hall whichhas an imposing front elevation. TwitchersAlley provides a link between North Streetand Field Street and is bounded by 2mhigh limestone walls which are mostly in apoor state of repair.There is little greenery visible in thischaracter area apart from glimpses ofback gardens viewed from Twitcher’sAlley. Otherwise the North Street area isdominated by car movement, especially atthe join with Field Street, Banbury Roadand Buckingham Road.Eroded wall on Outbuildings to no. 31Twitcher’s AlleyRoundabout at the junction of North Street46