The council is closing businesses on Gloucester Green to further a plan aimed at helping Oxford recover from the pandemic.
This comes following the closure of Falafel House on March 12 after over 20 years of business.
Oxford City Council decided not to renew the kiosk’s lease when it ended this year.
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The council is also due to terminate the lease of the market in Gloucester Green in 2023.
The businesses are set to be replaced by a new seating and planting scheme, similar to that at Broad Meadow, a statement released to the Oxford Mail has revealed.
The plan in question is known as the City Centre Action Plan (CCAP) which is set to take the form of a collaboration between Oxford City Council and local stakeholders.
A council spokesperson explained: “The City Centre Action Plan is aimed at aiding the post-pandemic recovery of Oxford’s city centre and contains a series of proposals to boost the local economy and create new job opportunities and public spaces.
“In a November 2021 consultation on the future of Oxford city centre, residents said they wanted the City Council to encourage more use of Gloucester Green.
“The area is identified as an opportunity area in the CCAP.”
But when asked by the Oxford Mail, the city council failed to provide an exact timeframe on when this plan would be implemented.
The authority also didn’t address why this plan justifies the closure of local businesses.
The council spokesperson continued: “Oxford City Council is creating a new seating and planting scheme at Gloucester Green.
“The scheme will encourage greater use of Gloucester Green by breathing new life into the area with seating areas, informal performance space, and planting similar to the popular Broad Meadow scheme.
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“The kiosk leases end in 2023, and so the city council is taking this opportunity to make improvements to the site.
“Also, in 2023 the city council is retendering the market operator contract for Gloucester Green Market.”
Falafel House was popular among those that frequent Gloucester Green.
One concerned customer, who did not want to be named, said: “Most of the stalls in the area seem to be closed already.
“It's the best falafel wrap stall in Oxford or at least, I think so.
“Hopefully the men who run it will be able to have a stall at the market instead. If not, their wraps will be missed!”
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