It has been a positive year at the Covered Market in Oxford with new businesses opening and later opening hours.

The year did not get off to a good start when the Feller family, operating a butchers in the market since 1979, announced they were retiring.

Otherwise the news has been very positive, and the market, owned by the city council, took a big step forward in May when the council announced new later opening hours would be permitted.

READ MORE: Oxford Health bids farewell to long-serving nurse 

Oxford-based craft brewery Tap Social opened a new venue at the market, known as The Market Tap, at the same time.

Oxford Mail: Michael FellerIt was one of several businesses deciding to take part in the extended evening hours with traders now operating until 11pm from Thursday to Saturday.

The new opening hours followed positive feedback from traders and shoppers when they were consulted last year, and are being trialled for 12 months.

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

Oxford Mail: The Covered Market

Co-founder of Tap Social Amy Taylor said at the time: "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.

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

Oxford Mail: Market Tap by Tap SocialTap Social offers employment and training to people who are serving prison sentences or have recently been released.

New businesses continued to open right up until the end of the year, with four new traders arriving in October and November.

Il Corno, a family-run bar and shop from Naples, opened its doors and local bakery, Hamblin Bread, opened a new unit in December.

They join Crystal Spirit Emporium and OxUnBoxed, and two existing shops, A Woollen Cosy Life and The Woolhound, have moved to larger units.

Oxford Mail: Fanny ClementeWith the four new traders and internal moves, the market’s overall mix of uses offers what has been described as "the widest-ever selection of specialist artisan produce, cafés, bars, gifts, fashion, and lifestyle products". 

Hamblin Bread is already an established bakery on Iffley Road.

This specialises in baked goods made with stone ground flour from organic wheat and rye, all grown within 50 miles of the bakery.   

Hamblin Bread has opened its second shop in the market, taking on three units that were recently restored by Oxford City Council in partnership with Oxford Preservation Trust. The units will house Hamblin Kiosk and Snack Bar.  

The kiosk will offer a range of bread, buns, and pastries.

The city council is working on a special masterplan for further improvements at the historic market.

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About the author 

Andy is the Trade and Tourism reporter for the Oxford Mail and you can sign up to his newsletters for free here. 

He joined the team more than 20 years ago and he covers community news across Oxfordshire.

His Trade and Tourism newsletter is released every Saturday morning. 

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