I'm reliably informed (as a regular Oxford pilot) that the re-naming of the airport was forced on the management by the owners who, residing on page 1 of the 'Sunday Times Rich List', can call the airport whatever they want. Everybody that works there thinks it was mad. The official line offered by the management was that it 'was to make international business aircraft operators aware of another alternative for accessing the north-west of London' which indeed Oxford is. The facts are that if you lived say in Kensington, you will get to Oxford quicker than you would Biggin Hill, Farnborough or Stansted and Luton on a bad day is no better a run. My passengers come from the Notting Hill/Holland Park area and we do that run in 50 minutes to the door of the aircraft and three minutes later I'm taking off - absalutely, catagorically not possible for any other London option other than say Northolt. Helicopters to Battersea take 19-20 minutes.
The renaming is bonkers and no doubt it will revert back to 'Oxford Airport' when the airport gets sold again one day - but it sure raised awareness of the fact that it is there internationally and even the locals suddenly realised it has a 'regional airport' on its doorstep.
On the matter of Oxford's GA-friendliness, as a resident, it is better value than some grass strips within the south east of the UK, has the best opening hours, the best GA terminal, excellent ATC, ILS and it's dead quiet compared to how it used to be due to the decline in pilot training. Class G airspace has both pros and cons but it is an inevitability that they'll have radar and controlled airspace one day.
No flying club though which is sad.
It's just a daft
PR stunt to get noticed for the price of a new logo - to that end it worked. They've spent lots of money there over the last few years so I give them some moral support even though the name is utterly stupid.