Monopoly mania hits Oxford
Oxford is fighting for the chance to be immortalised on the world famous board game, Monopoly. A new national version of the game, the ‘Monopoly Here & Now UK Edition’, is calling on the nation to vote for its favourite locations. The top 22 locations will be awarded places on the new board, set to be released in October this year. Oxford is currently positioned a disappointing seventh on the board, trailing behind traditional rival Cambridge, currently fourth.
With only 15 days of voting left, the race is on to bump Oxford up to the nation’s top five. Three Facebook groups have been set up to encourage Oxford loyalists to support the city in the nationwide contest. Even a city councillor has been rallying troops to vote for Oxford. Voting began on Friday 27 April, with Monopoly enthusiasts logging onto www.monopoly.co.uk to select their favourite location. Everyday the site lists the top 22 locations that have the most votes.
Voting will run until the 25th May. With 20,790 votes at the time of going to press, Oxford is currently set to occupy a slot in the ‘yellow’ section of the Monopoly board - the equivalent of Coventry Street on the traditional board. Cambridge, with 25,925 votes at the time of going to press, currently holds a ‘green’ section position, ironically the equivalent of Oxford Street. St Albans is occupying the top spot - the equivalent of Mayfair - with 31,887 votes.
A spokesman from Parker Brothers, the company that makes Monopoly, said, “In a nation as passionate as the UK, we could be looking at a very different board by the time voting completes. “Any location could make the grade, Sheffield could become The Strand, or will it be beaten by Staines? The way the voting takes place could even mean that the UK’s capital fails to feature if their residents lack the enthusiasm to vote for London.
Joanna Austin from Parker Brothers commented, “It’s very exciting to see which location will have the most passionate population. The people of the UK are massively patriotic and will certainly get behind their cities, towns and villages. It will be interesting to see how the big cities fare against the smaller villages.” At least three Facebook groups have been set up to rally support for Oxford.
Christine Philips, a Corporate Events Manager, set up the Facebook group ‘Make Oxford Mayfair’, to publicise the campaign. Phillips said, “A friend suggested that I started up the Facebook group last Saturday. Oxford was being beaten by Shrewsbury and Loughbourgh - which doesn’t reflect well on Oxford. The group has grown to over 1500 members in seven days, which is quite astonishing. I hope that this helps Oxford do well on the board."
Marc Gascoigne, a finalist at Somerville, set up the Facebook group ‘Put Oxford on the Board’. He said, “I heard about the contest on Radio 4 on its first day and thought it was something people were likely to get excited about, so I started the group to spread the word. I think we had about 300 members by the end of the first day.
“We all know that the city of Oxford is a far more vibrant and exciting place than Cambridge, plus it was people from Oxford that founded their university, so don’t we deserve to be ranked higher than them? Ideal result: Oxford as Mayfair, and Cambridge as Oxford Street.” Richard Huzzey, Liberal Democrat Councillor for the Holywell ward on Oxford City Council, has joined in the publicising campaign. This week he said, “Oxford is the best city on earth.
It has brilliant people, brilliant buildings, brilliant traditions and a hopeful future. I wouldn’t vote for anywhere else.” Rachel Wells, a student at Loughborough University, set up a Facebook campaign for Cambridge. She said, “We’ve already beaten Oxford in the Boat Race this year, now it’s time to show them once again who’s boss. “If you want better shopping, nightlife and a better, brighter university then Cambridge is the place to be.”.
When the same concept was launched in Australia, almost 17 million people voted over the fourweek voting period. The concept caused uproar in the United States when Atlantic City, the birthplace of Monopoly, was missed off the all-American board.
10th May 2007