Shopkeepers in a "trendy" east Oxford street are calling for help to preserve its alternative character -- as part of plans to develop the area into a cultural quarter.

Richard Cotton, of retrozone, with other shop owners from Magdalen Street, Oxford

Owners of independent businesses in Magdalen Road -- ranging from a vegetarian cafe to a holistic pet care centre -- have asked Oxford City Council's east area committee for help to keep chain stores out.

Three premises -- including a former electrical store and newsagent's -- are available for rent and shopkeepers are concerned about what kind of businesses will move in.

Richard Cotton, who owns the music recording studio Magdalen Road Artist Studios and secondhand furniture shop retrozone, wants independent retailers to take up the spaces.

He is working with other shop owners to come up with ideas to promote Magdalen Road.

His suggestions included a street market on Saturdays.

Mr Cotton said: "We have Pegasus Theatre and the recording studio, alongside alternative businesses and more conventional shops like a butcher's, letting agent's and newsagent's.

"I opened retrozone five years ago here because I like the atmosphere.

"I lived in New York before and this place reminds me of the East Village over there.

"It's very Bohemian and trendy, and it would be a real shame for it to lose that. I don't think it will, but we don't really want a High Street chain shop moving in. We want to preserve its character."

East area committee chairman Craig Simmons, who lives in the street and runs an environmental consultancy firm there, said several business owners had approached him to ask how the council could help bring more focus to the street.

Mr Simmons said he would raise the issue at the area committee's meeting tomorrow (August 18).

He thought the multi-million revamp of the Pegasus Theatre into an arts complex would have an "extremely positive" effect.

Arts Council England has pledged £2.7m towards the project and it is hoped building work will be completed early in 2007.

Mr Simmons said calls for the street to retain its character fitted with plans to develop east Oxford into a cultural quarter.

As reported in the Oxford Mail last week, plans are being devised to turn the area into a cultural hub amid concern it could lose out to other parts of the city.

Mr Simmons said: "Magdalen Road is thriving, with a healthy mix of locally-owned retail and commercial businesses, a vibrant and diverse residential community and good range of cultural and social organis- ations. It's important this continues and I will take forward the comments of local businesses."