AFTER more than two centuries of trading, the sights, smells and back stories of shops at Oxford’s Covered Market are finally set to be told.

Whether you’re looking for a fillet of the largest thresher shark caught in English waters, a £3,000 wedding cake, a pair of shoes or some humble fruit and veg, Oxford’s indoor market has had it covered since 1774.

Now, thanks to a £50,000 Heritage Lottery Fund grant, the stories of the traders and their customers will be uncovered to preserve the legacy of Oxford’s “hidden gem”.

While chain stores and restaurant franchises have left many British high streets looking identical, the variety offered by the market’s 55 independent shops will be celebrated during an 18-month study by Oxfordshire Town Chambers Network and Oxford Civic Society.

The project will see photos and case studies made for a Museum of Oxford exhibition on the market, which boasts everything from cobblers to goldsmiths, barbers to butchers, boutique clothing and fashion stores and a sprinkling of cafes and food shops.

The good news comes after traders were hit with two blows last year: the rent on a vacant shop was doubled by the city council and the authority abandoned plans for a £50,000 revamp.

Tom Nuttall, 28, a fishmonger at Hayman’s, which opened in 1928, said: “It’s good there’ll be somewhere to show the history of the market and the tradition and hopefully it will lead a few people to step away from the supermarkets.”

Hayman’s supplies many of the city’s restaurants, selling everything from octopus to cuttlefish and became famous in 2006 after buying a 14ft thresher shark, the largest caught off Britain’s coast.

Mr Nuttall added: “Our fish is fresher because we have deliveries everyday and if there’s anything rare you need, the market is the place to come.”

Nash’s Bakery has had a stall in the market since the 1930s and still sells more than 40 different types of loaf, roll and baguette as well as its speciality lardy cake, all freshly made in Bicester.

Manager Sarah Penny said: “It’s the atmosphere of the market that makes it so special and people travel from all over the country to visit us.”

At Hedges butchers, meat-lovers can grab rabbit, pheasant, partridge or grouse for a game supper while more adventurous types can order ostrich or crocodile meat.

Manager Ian Pavier, who joined the firm aged 17, said: “Coming here is different from going to a supermarket, where you’re not treated like a person. Our customers come back week after week and we know their names so they become our friends.”

Other success stories include The Cake Shop, a family firm selling tailor-made cakes, which has grown from a one-woman band to 18-strong in 22 years.

Ben’s Cookies, made in Chalgrove, has grown from a single stall to 10 shops in the South and the Midlands.

Chris Farren, chairman of the Covered Market Trader’s Association, said: “The Covered Market is unique as it brings together independent traders all working together within a city centre, something sadly lost to most cities in the country.”

Councillor Colin Cook, board member for city development, said: “The market has things you can’t get anywhere else in the city.

“Although it is a magnet for some shoppers, it remains a hidden gem for many and we want to draw more attention to it.”