A COMMITTEE meeting set up to decide whether a new bar could serve alcohol in the Covered Market has been cancelled.

Oxford City Council Licensing and Gambling committee were supposed to meet tonight to decide whether The Tap Social's newest venture, 'The Market Tap', would be allowed to serve alcohol until 10pm on weekdays, and until midnight on Friday's and Saturday's.

It is unclear at this moment in time why the meeting has been cancelled, however, the application was met with significant backlash from other independent business owners in the market.

The late-night license and the lack of nighttime security in the market were top concerns.

Baron Robert Poujet, who has been running the Oxford Cheese Company in the market, for almost 40 years called the plans ‘irresponsible’.

Verity Piggot, who owns Bonner’s Fruit and Vegetables said: “We are not unhappy for the business to come into the market, and we welcome new business into the market that will bring more business to the market and more business to us.

“However, we are not happy with the late openings of the market, in excess of seven or eight o’clock without sufficient security in place and we do not feel as a business that we are supported enough currently for late openings.

“There needs to be much tighter security in place, and I think that’s probably where we stand, and I think if you were to speak to other businesses who did not have the chance to make an objection, then they would have the same comments.”

Umberto Freitas, who owns Browns café, echoed, the concerns adding: “I am more than welcome for them to come, as long as it is within the hours of the market.

“My problem is the late-night hours, and the security arrangements, and the problems that could arise from that – I feel that that has not been fully addressed, by the council and by The Tap Social as well."