Oxford City Centre

Oxford City Centre Management

	OX1 website

Oxford's City Centre Management Company is called OX1. It is an independent organisation supported by a number of businesses and key stakeholders in the City centre. The company has a Board of Directors comprising representatives of City centre activities such as the pubs and clubs, the shopping centres and The Covered Market. Visit the OX1 website for more detailed information.

Their main objectives are to champion the commercial side of Oxford and to work to ensure that the City centre is vibrant, clean, safe and a great place to do business.

OX1 is working hard to establish itself as the key voice for business in the City. They have recently spent time meeting with as many businesses as possible. They want to discuss a change in structure that will make real changes in the City centre for the benefit of businesses. This change in structure is called a Business Improvement District.

A Business Improvement District for Oxford

A Business Improvement District (BID) is an initiative that allows businesses to take more control of their trading environment. Under the proposal all business ratepayers will be charged a small supplementary levy on their business rates. This money will be retained locally and spent by OX1 on business priorities.

If the BID is successful, all businesses in the City centre will become members of the company and will be eligible for electing the Board or being elected onto the Board. This will be your company, run by you, for you.

The process for creating a BID is democratic. All business ratepayers get to vote upon a business proposal created by OX1. A dual-key majority is required - a majority of those voting and an equivalent majority of the rateable values of those that vote - allowing parity between small and large businesses.

Voting papers will be posted out to businesses in the City Centre by the Electoral Reform Service on 4th June 2008. They will need to return them by 5pm on 4th July 2008 to enable their vote to be counted.

There are currently 60 BIDs across the country.  For more information on the implications for your business, contact OX1.

What is the shopping like in Oxford City centre?

Oxford is home to a large number of specialist and independent stores as well as all the big high street shops. The City centre is a great place to spend some time (and money) whether you are shopping for something in particular or just browsing. Stop and have a coffee and a bite to eat at one of our great small cafes.

We have a world-famous Covered Market that sells just about anything, two high-quality indoor shopping centres (Westgate and Clarendon) and a thriving new Castle development. Many of our stores have recently been upgraded and many of our smaller shops are in historic buildings.

The attached Shopper's Guide is currently being updated, but please use it as a good starting point to find your way around:

For information about Oxford's 'local town centres' including Templars Square Shopping Centre, Headington Shopping Centre and Summertown Shops, visit our Visiting Oxford page.

How do find a rental property for my business in Oxford City centre?

Visit our Business Premises pages to search for Council let and private rental properties in the City centre and further a-field. 

Page last reviewed 23 May 2008