OXFORD’S Covered Market is to open for Sunday trading for at least the next four months.

Traders have agreed to open from Sunday, May 17, through to September and may extend opening until Christmas if it is a success.

Covered Market Traders’ Association spokesman Richard Alden said: “I know some traders still have some misgivings about this, but we want to run the trial until the end of September and we are hoping it will be a success.

“We are hoping that at least 50 per cent of the traders take part at the start of the trial, and others will join in as this gathers momentum. Sunday is the second busiest trading day of the week and we have to take that into consideration.

“During the summer, there are thousands of tourists and language students in Oxford, and while some of them might not be big spenders, they will certainly increase footfall and there will be people buying sandwiches and coffees.

“We usually try to open on Sundays by mid-November in the run-up to Christmas, so if the trial is a success we could continue it until that point.”

Agostinho Freitas, 64, of Browns Cafe, said he would see how busy it was on the first Sunday before deciding whether to join the trial.

John Gowing, of John Gowing Jewellers, added: “I’m prepared to give this a try to see if it works.”

Earlier this month, it emerged that the market is to get a £100,000 revamp following a deal to pay for repairs.

Oxfordshire County Council and Oxford City Council announced that they will each spend £50,000 on improvements to the market.

It follows a new partnership agreement designed to help the market, which traders say is badly in need of renovation.

In November, the city council agreed to pay for repairs to the 18th century roof and superstructure but the work had to be postponed because of the council’s financial difficulties.

Following talks with the traders’ association, the councils agreed to jointly pay for the work.

The county council’s contribution is coming from a Business Growth fund and a detailed timetable for the work is expected be discussed later this month.

The annual cost of Sunday trading is estimated at £30,000, with the cost of the trial being taken from the city council’s Cityworks budget.

Mr Alden said the market will open on Sunday from 10am to 4pm. “We have to be optimistic about this trial,” he said.

Mary Clarkson, city councillor in charge of the market, said: “I think the traders who don’t open will be keeping a close eye on other stallholders to see how they get on at the start of the trial.

“We need to make sure there is a system in place to keep Sunday trading going if it is a huge success.”

affrench@oxfordmail.co.uk