Oxford Covered Market will remain open during lockdown to allow fresh food sales, deliveries, takeaways and click-and-collect from non-essential retail to take place.
The market, which is managed by Oxford City Council, was required to close by the Government during the summer lockdown.
But the Government has confirmed that during the new lockdown:
- Fresh food businesses can continue to operate as normal
- Restaurants and cafes can continue to operate as takeaways
- Retailers can operate click-and-collect services from their premises
- Businesses can use their premises as a base for deliveries to customers
This means many traders will continue to operate in some form from their premises during lockdown.
After consulting with traders, the City Council has decided to keep the market open to the public during lockdown.
Wearing a mask continues to be mandatory within the Covered Market.
Businesses operating as normal
The Covered Market’s food traders are classed as essential under the Government’s lockdown rules, and will therefore be open as normal.
This includes:
- Bonners Fruit & Vegetables
- Cardews of Oxford
- David John Pies
- Go Gym Stuff
- iScream
- M Feller & Daughter Butchers
- Nash’s Bakery
- Oxford Cheese Co
- Pershore Seafood
- Teardrop Bar
- The Market Cellar Door
- Wicked Chocolate
The businesses will be operating a queueing system to allow only a small number of customers into units at once.
Business open for takeaways
Many of the Covered Market restaurants and cafes will be open but will only be offering takeaway services.
This includes:
- A Taste of China
- Alpha Bar
- Ben’s Cookies
- Brothers Café
- Browns Café
- Colombia Coffee Roasters
- Donburi Inn
- Moo-Moo’s
- Sasi’s Thai
- Sofi de France Café
- Taylors
- The Oxford Sandwich Company
Customers will not be able to sit in the restaurants or cafes to consume their food or drink during lockdown.
Seating in the communal areas has also been removed to stop people congregating.
Businesses operating online
Under the Government’s rules, retailers will be required to close their premises during lockdown.
The following businesses will be operating online during the lockdown:
- Blue Blood Sports
- Fresh Clothing
- Jemini Flowers
- John Gowing Jewellers
- Next to Nothing
- Nothing
- Oxford Skate Co.
- Oxford Soap Company
- PinGui
- The Cake Shop
- The Collectors Company
- The Garden of Oxford
However, click-and-collect services are still allowed to operate from premises. Some of the above businesses will therefore be allowing customers to pick up purchases from their premises (please see individual trader website for more information).
For more information and to find a list of trader websites, please visit the Covered Market's website.
For a wider list of Oxford businesses that are operating online during the lockdown, please visit the Open online webpage.
“The months leading up to Christmas are vital for a lot of Covered Market traders, so the lockdown has come at a really bad time.
“But the traders are – as ever – simply amazing, and I think they’re all determined to make this work. To help them achieve that, we’ve decided to keep the Covered Market open.
“So if you’re looking to buy fresh food during lockdown or if you’re already starting to think about your Christmas presents, please support your market.”
Councillor Mary Clarkson, Cabinet Member for City Centre, Covered Market and Culture
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