The snow caused massive disruption to businesses across the county with staff struggling to reach factories and offices and many closing altogether.

Production at the Cowley Mini factory was suspended, while designer shopping outlet Bicester Village was also closed for the first time in its 15-year history.

And across the county shoppers were faced with empty shelves as suppliers struggled to reach supermarkets and stores.

Mini plant spokesman Rebecca Baxter said: “Due to the extreme weather conditions, production at Mini Plant Oxford will cease temporarily.”

Today's early shift was also cancelled with bosses hopeful of re-opening the plant for the late shift. Miranda Markam, community relations manager at Bicester Village, said tourists from London were still turning up and were having their train fares refunded, despite warnings being posted at Marylebone station.

She added: “We cleared the car park and the mall, but for the safety of customers and staff we decided it would be best to close.”

Bicester Village normally attracts up to 10,000 customers a day and retailers employ 1500 staff. Ms Markham said she could not put a figure on how much business had been lost.

Some local shops and supermarkets in the north and west of the county also ran out of key provisions such as bread and milk.

Tracy Gutteridge, deputy manager of the Co-op convenience store in Bloxham, near Banbury, said: " There is no milk left and we shall be closing at 3pm as I have to walk back to Banbury."

She added: "Some of our customers are elderly and need their store."

Elsewhere, postal workers were also struggling to deliver mail, especially to outlying areas of the county.

Royal Mail spokesman Jaquie Stenson said: “We will attempt to deliver where it is safe to do so but unfortunately services are severely disrupted."

And the TNT delivery depot at Milton Park, near Didcot, also closed down.

Spokesman Nick Murray said: “We are receiving reports of nine inches of snow in outlying areas and clearly there are safety implications for our drivers. We are contacting customers and hopefully we will be able to deliver today.”

Meanwhile, many companies were forced to improvise with staff unable to reach the workplace or forced to stay at home to care for children affected by school closures.

Around 100 of the 130 staff at the Botley office of finance firm Grant Thornton could not reach the office but were able to work from home from their laptops and the company’s intranet system.

Tax partner Samantha Vanags, who was working from her Faringdon home, said: “A lot of our staff are working mums so this also means they don’t have to worry about childcare when the schools close.

“Ten years ago this would have been a wasted day and now it is inconvenient but has no-where near the impact it did then.”

Property lettings agency Finders Keepers kept its eight offices throughout the county open and staff were using a four wheel drive vehicle to help with appointments.

Director Frank Webster said: “Staff have been working from their nearest office or from home. Some are taking exams soon, so they are treating it as a study day.”

Iain Nicholson, spokesman for the Oxfordshire Town Chambers Network, said it was “impossible” to calculate the impact of the weather on the county’s economy.

He added: “Clearly there is significant disruption, working days lost and damage to trade. A real concern would be if this cold snap continues and the disruption goes into next week.”