City Sightseeing Oxford adds poetic charm to tours to celebrate World Poetry Day

City Sightseeing Oxford will celebrate World Poetry Day this month by delving into the history of the city’s historic landmarks on one of its tours with a poetic twist from a local guide. 

Andrew Pritchard swapped a 28-year career as a carpet cleaner for the microphone in 2023 and has been wowing tourists with his extensive knowledge of Oxford since.

The 69-year-old was born and raised in the city and found a new enthusiasm for poetry during the pandemic where his takes on lockdown haircuts and politics were well-received by his online followers. 

To mark World Poetry Day on 21st March, Andrew will showcase his talents on three City Sightseeing Oxford’s tours which pass landmarks including Oxford Castle, Carfax Tower and Christ Church College. 

He recites all his poetry from memory, with verses this year hooked on local landmarks and famous faces who have passed through the doors of the University of Oxford’s most recognisable buildings including Prime Ministers Sir Keir Starmer, Rishi Sunak and Boris Johnson. 

And no poem will be read without the father-of-two sporting his tailor-made poet’s hat, which was designed by London-based Lock & Co – the world’s oldest hat shop.

The day also coincides with English Tourism Week, which celebrates the contribution tourism makes to the UK economy. City Sightseeing Oxford has arranged for an additional guide to talk visitors through the city’s major attractions and landmarks to celebrate the week on top of Andrew’s poetic verses. 

It takes place a year after City Sightseeing Oxford launched its all-electric fleet of open top buses to deliver zero emission tours – representing a £4m investment into Oxford’s visitor economy. 

“Poetry allows your mind to run free,” said Andrew. “There are so many different types of poetry and ways of delivering the verses you’ve written. 

“I like my poems to flow, and I must deliver them from memory – I feel that really helps me to connect with the audience and there’s no better feeling. 

“Reading my poetry on our City Sightseeing Oxford tours started as a bit of fun two years ago as an alternative way of bringing our incredible city to life. Feedback from our passengers was really positive and it’s snowballed since.

“There is so much history to uncover in Oxford, even if you’re a local like myself for almost seven decades. As tour guides, we want to translate that history to visitors in a fun and engaging way which brings a smile to people’s faces.”

City Sightseeing Oxford’s dedicated poetry bus will depart from Stop 10 at the bottom of the High Street at 10:25, 11:25 and 12:25 on Friday 21st March 2025, with tourists able to hop on and hop off at their leisure to visit key landmarks in the city including The Radcliffe Camera, Magdalen Bridge and Botanic Gardens and Sheldonian Theatre. 

When he’s not voicing his poetry on one of City Sightseeing Oxford’s tours, Andrew will often be found volunteering for the Archway Foundation – a county-based loneliness charity – by supporting its ‘Not Loneliness, Just Laughter’ campaign and Oxfordshire Age UK. 

Both charities helped Andrew to find his feet after his late wife sadly passed away. But since beginning his role at City Sightseeing Oxford, he’s met a new partner, and the happy couple are now engaged. 

“She’s incredibly supportive of my work,” said Andrew. “Often, she doesn’t have a choice to listen as I’ll run my new material past her first before taking it forwards! 

“Poetry brought me a lot of joy through some sad times after losing my wife.

“It’s wonderful to have the support of my colleagues at City Sightseeing who are all looking forward to marking World Poetry Day.”

Further information about City Sightseeing Oxford tours is available by clicking here. Bus tours last approximately an hour and allow passengers to hop on and hop off at 20 stops near the city’s major sights, with commentary available in 14 languages.

Tickets also include access to a Stepping Through Oxford walking tour. The 45-minute tours happen four times daily and depart from the Oxford Visitor Information Point on High Street. 

Founded in 2002, City Sightseeing Oxford is owned by Oxford Bus Company and also operates the Visitor Information Point on High Street, Oxford.