Oxford Covered Market reopening Monday with strict new rules

The market, which is managed by Oxford City Council, has been closed to the public during the coronavirus lockdown, although a number of traders have continued to use it to distribute deliveries.

From next week the Government will allow some non-essential shops to reopen – providing they implement measures to meet social distancing and hygiene standards.

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It is up to individual traders to decide when they want to reopen, but it is expected that all fresh produce businesses and a selection of non-food traders will open next week.

Gordon Piggott of Bonners fruit and veg stall at Oxford Covered Market. Picture: Oxford Mail

After talks with shops, the council will be trialling a range of measures to help shoppers stay safe:

• Two entrances will be open. One on Market Street, and one on High Street. The other seven entrances to the market will be closed.

• Stewards will be positioned on each entrance 'to ensure the number of shoppers in the market stays at a level that allows social distancing'.

• There will be a third steward inside the market to act as a 'social distancing champion': Their role will be to liaise with the stewards at each entrance to manage the flow of optimum numbers throughout the market and give guidance to the public where needed.

• A one-way system will be introduced around the market, similar to the systems now used in supermarkets.

• Markings will be installed along the avenues to explain the one-way system and indicate two-metre distances.

• All advertising A-boards, tables, chairs, bicycle racks and other obstacles will be removed from the avenues to give shoppers more space.

• Hand sanitisers will be available at each entrance.

• The High Street entrance that includes The Varsity Club will be used for people to queue to access the market. Queues on Market Street will be restricted to 4/5 people at the widest part of the pavement.

• An enhanced cleaning regime, including cleaning of the public toilets in Market Street, trader toilets, and a deep clean of the whole market at the end of each day, will be introduced.

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Traders will also have to follow new Government guidelines, including:

• Restricting the number of people inside their shops

• Leaving doors open so shoppers do not have to touch door handles

• Providing hand sanitisers where necessary

Trading hours will currently be Monday – Saturday 9am – 5pm. These hours will be reviewed on a weekly basis with a view to returning to normal as soon as possible. The opening hours of individual traders are likely to vary.

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The public will be able to keep up to date with which traders are open, and their opening times, via boards at the market entrance points, and the Covered Market’s social media and website.

For more information, go to: www.oxford.gov.uk/coveredmarket

Restaurants and cafes will remain closed for now, but could open next month.