Traders in Oxford's Covered Market have finalised a rents deal with the city council.

At the executive board meeting on December 23, a four-year row ended when councillors sanctioned a rent increase of about 20 per cent for the 42 traders in the market.

The agreement, brokered by the Labour administration, followed a lengthy stand-off between the previous Liberal Democrat-Green leadership and the traders.

The row went to court and, at one point, the High Court suggested the council should increase rents by 33 per cent.

But traders refused to pay, and further court cases were pending when an agreement was reached earlier this year.

Alan Lester, chairman of the Covered Market Traders' Association, said: "The board has approved the agreement that was entered into in May this year. The deal includes a 20 per cent rent increase, backdated to March."

Colin Cook, executive member for the city centre, said the Government Office for the South East had cleared the deal.