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Countdown in Oxford 2026Presented by Darren Godfrey
July 2026 sees a return to the city of dreaming spires, with Countdown enthusiasts from far and wide joining me, your friendly neighbourhood baldy, for some fun with letters, numbers and conundrums!
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📅 Date and approximate times
Saturday, 11th July 2026
• Doors open: 10:15
• First round draw: 10:50
• Round 1: 11:00–12:30 (1h 30m)
• Lunch: 12:30–14:00 (1h 30m)
• Round 2: 14:00–15:30 (1hr 30m)
• Round 3: 15:30–15:00 (1h 30m)
• Grand final: 17:00–17:30 (30m)
• Prize presentation: 17:00–18:00 (30m)
*If you are late, the other two players on your table will carry out their game first to give you time to arrive without missing out on any gameplay. If you haven't arrived by the time they have finished, you will be "pruned" until you turn up.
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📝 Overview
The event will be carried out in the "Lincoln" style. How this works: shorturl.at/tZ4dP (link should direct to Google Docs).
You will play six preliminary games of Countdown in the 9-round format. There will be a random draw ahead of the first game to determine the fixtures. In the games that follow, Atropine's Swiss generator will pit you against similarly scoring contestants, so don't worry if you're completely wiped out in the opening match.
Once the three preliminary rounds have concluded and the scores have been gathered, the two contenders with the most wins and points will compete in the grand final to determine the event champion. In what is now the typical grand final setup for a "Lincoln"-style event, it will involve a board at the front of the room, which is elevated to give everyone involvement in the game and potentially better the players.
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🏠 Venue
St Clement's Centre, Cross St, Oxford, OX4 1DA.
🧭 Getting to the venue
The centre is located 1.7 miles east of Oxford railway station. If you want to get your steps in, it's a 38-minute walk from there according to Google Maps. If not, the following bus services — at the time of this being written — will take you from the station to the James Street stop, a 4-minute walk away from the venue: Stagecoach's 1 to Blackbird Leys, and Oxford Bus Company's 5 (also to Blackbird Leys).
🅿️ Parking
For anyone planning on driving in, the venue has a number of free parking spaces. There's also the option to park at Redbridge Park and Ride then connect with one of the many bus services from there to the city centre; Oxford Bus Company's X1 and X15 will take you straight to Oxford railway station.
♿️ Accessibility
The venue is wheelchair accessible.
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🎟️ Admission
£12 per person. This can be paid directly to Daz's PayPal or Monzo accounts: paypal.me/DarrenGodfrey/12GBP (PayPal) • monzo.me/dazzler/12.00 (Monzo). ⚠️ If paying by PayPal, PLEASE ENSURE TO SELECT THE "FAMILY AND FRIENDS" OPTION. If you can't (or prefer not to) pay via these, you can contact Daz to make alternative arrangements, where he will be happy to assist. For contact details, email us at [email protected].
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🍴 Lunch and breaks
There are a number of shops and well-known fast food chains a 5–10-minute walk from the venue for folks to grab a bite at lunchtime. Snacks will also be provided during the day.
Evening food and entertainment are still TBC, but the area close to the venue has an abundance of restaurants and bars. We can also head into the centre of Oxford if people fancy it.
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🏨 Accommodation
There are numerous hotels within easy reach of the venue and city centre: the Premier Inn Oxford Cowley is a short walk and bus ride from the venue. Other options are the Ramada Oxford M40, as well as three Travelodges — Peartree, Wheatley, and Abingdon Road — which are all relatively close, decent and shouldn't break the bank.
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👤 Attending or organising a FOCAL event is subject to the FOCAL Code of Conduct.
📧 Questions about this event? Contact us at [email protected]
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Event Venue
St Clement's Centre, Cross St, Oxford, OX4 1DA, United Kingdom
Tickets
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