This will likely cause something of a sea-change to the gossip scene in Llandudno. Oscar, for me, always seemed to tread an uneven line between right-minded and well-intentioned checking up on those in power, and cruel tattling and rumour-mongering. It is right and proper that democratically appointed officials, paid for out of the public purse, should be subject to consistent scrutiny. But it is not right that unfounded and likely damaging speculation ought to be aired into people's private lives; least of all when the target has no means of redress. And for such scrutiny to be useful, it needs to be well-informed and, in turn, subject to checks of its own.
I won't air any of the accusations those behind Oscar have made during the past few years (to do so would make me just as bad and likely just as liable for any lawsuits!!) but there will be a few injured parties who will now look to hit back at some of the things that have been said about them. A good chunk of what was said on Oscar could be quite cruel.
Here's hoping that in the vacuum that opens up, a new blog springs up - one which will continue Oscar's careful glare on public services, but with more care when it comes to personal spite, malice, slander or gossip. As Ian noted, freedom of speech does not guarantee one the right to say whatsoever they wish about anyone, without the expectation that they might some day be brought to task for their claims.