As the days until the Brexit transition count down, Oxford residents have shared their worries about how life may changed whether or not the UK reaches a deal with the European Union.

While some people are stockpiling supplies of food they think might be more expensive once the transition ends, others are concerned about how the end of the close trading relationship might mean fewer opportunities for work.

Others still are not concerned at all, and have not made extra plans.

James Fishar said he was stocking up on long lasting foods and medicines, and described his actions as ‘hedging his bets’ in case there was no deal.

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He added: “We just buy a little extra of beans, rice, pasta, frozen goods each time. Over the last couple of months we’ve got a shelf of cans, 10kg of chapati flour, 7kg rice, 5kg pasta and range of dried pulses. It takes a small cupboard.”

Matthew Gaskin added: “I'm anticipating shortages and supply problems and am stocking up on things that aren't made in the UK that I'll need. The Government don't see food as strategically important and are leaving it entirely to the market.”

Oxford Mail:

Amir Ali

Amir Ali said he was worried about how the double hit of Covid and Brexit might hit the UK and specifically the NHS.

He said: “I don't know if Brexit is right or wrong thing to do, but I believe in this current Covid situation will affect whole of UK if Brexit happens soon, because many NHS staffs are European, last thing we want is shortages of NHS staff and risking more lives as government has already done so by not taking Covid actions immediately from day one.”

And Emma Tucker said leaving the EU had scuppered her plans to study abroad, which she described as ‘massively disappointing’.

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Ms Tucker said she had wanted to study a Masters course at Radbourd University in the Netherlands but the prohibitive costs for non-EU students compared to EU students would prevent her from doing this.

She said: “I wanted to study there because in comparison to UK university master's fees (£24k) it was so much cheaper, and also it's a chance to travel and learn a new culture.

“It feels frustrating, because it's not a move I voted for, and the fact that the Brexit people did vote for is completely different to what has actually happened is awful! I'm all for democracy, so if we as a country have voted for Brexit then it should of course go ahead, but only if the reasons why we voted for Brexit have been upheld and maintained in the deals made by the Government.”

Oxford Mail:

A vigil on January 31 in Oxford's Bonn Square, the day Brexit officially took place

Others said they would continue to live as normal.

Linda Jones said she would continue ‘minding my own business and paying my bills.’

She added that, if there was no deal by the end of December, then businesses would be hit the hardest.

She said: “I think, and I could be wrong, either way the small business person on the high street will be the ones that feel the most negative impact either way, particularly as they are now hit hard with Covid restrictions.

“For the everyday person, non-business related, just going on with their everyday life then I don't think it will impact us as much.”

The UK Government said that the country had a resilient food chain which could cope with the potential of a no deal scenario.

A statement from the Government said: "As we have seen in recent months, the UK has a highly-resilient food supply chain, a food industry that is well versed in dealing with scenarios that can impact food supply, and consumers in the UK have access to a range of sources of food, including countless domestic food producers.

"This will continue to be the case after December 2020."

Brexit negotiations are currently still in process and are being held by video link to prevent the spread of Covid.