Oxford-based craft brewery Tap Social is opening a new venue at the Covered Market, known as The Market Tap.

The Market Tap is one of several traders that will take part in the historic market’s new extended evening hours on Thursday to Saturday until 11pm.

The new opening hours launch tomorrow (Thursday, May 4) following positive feedback from traders and shoppers when they were consulted last year.

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The new hours will be trialled over the next 12 months by Tap Social and a number of other market traders and the city council - the market landlord - is hoping other businesses agree to join in.

Oxford Mail:

Traders celebrate late opening Photo: Richard Cave 

The Market Tap will open from 10am to 11pm from Thursday to Saturday and from 10am to 5pm from Sunday to Wednesday.

Co-founder of Tap Social Amy Taylor said: "The pandemic delayed this project - during that time we opened The White House by Tap Social and that now has a good community around it.

"We are really excited to be opening here at the Covered Market at a time when later opening hours are being introduced.

Oxford Mail: Tap Social staff at The Market Tap

"We are looking forward to hosting live music and other arts projects and working with other traders."

Tap Social offers employment and training to people who are serving prison sentences or have recently been released.

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Other traders confirmed to take part in the extended hours trial are:

Brothers Café, Colombia Coffee, Gulp Fiction, Market Cellar Door, Teardrop Bar, The Woolhound, Sartorelli's and Sofi de France.

Individual traders will choose their own extended hours.

Luciana Gyuricza, who runs Teardrop bar, said Teardrop and associated businesses Market Cellar Door and Sartorelli's were looking forward to the new opening hours and planned to stay open until 7pm.

Oxford Mail: Luciana Gyuricza at The Teardrop bar

She added: "I think this will be positive for the market.

"Hopefully people who drink my beer will visit The Market Tap and vice versa.

"The new opening hours should bring in some people who don't usually come to the market."

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In July and August 2022, the council held a consultation on a trial of extended opening hours at Oxford’s Covered Market, which found the majority of respondents, including traders and members of the public, favour later opening hours.

There were more than 700 replies - the biggest response to any consultation about the Covered Market.

Seventy per cent 70 per cent of traders expressed an interest in extending their own hours during any pilot scheme - but would first need to consider staffing issues.

In February this year, Oxford City Council approved an investment of almost £7m to revitalise the market.

Oxford Mail: Tap Social staff at The Market Tap

The £6.87m funding package aims to improve entrances in High Street and Market Street, provide larger seating areas inside, and a new space outside in a new pedestrian-friendly Market Street.

The regeneration will respect the unique character, heritage and history of the Covered Market, which first opened fully in 1774, while securing the long-term future of the Grade II-listed prized Council asset.