Retail giant Marks & Spencer is branching out, with plans to open a second Oxford store.

One of the high street's biggest names is planning to expand its operation by establishing a neighbourhood food store in Summertown.

Negotiations are now under way to find the perfect property, with a view to opening later this year, or early in 2003.

No location has been finalised but it is thought that, if Allied Carpets in Banbury Road moves to the soon-to-be-vacant Currys store at Seacourt Tower, Botley, M&S would take its place.

Traders in Summertown have welcomed the news.

Lee Harris, secretary of the Summertown Traders' Association, said: "M&S will be a very welcome addition. Traders will be delighted because the presence of M&S should bring in additional trade.

"This demonstrates that M&S has every confidence in the local customer base."

Currys has moved the short distance from Seacourt Tower to a new site in Botley Road. Their new store opens today.

Allied Carpets has confirmed that it is considering a move out of Summertown, and has thought of transferring to the vacant Currys site at Seacourt Tower.

M&S has 24 neighbourhood food stores across the UK, mostly in the South East. They usually employ 80 to 100 staff and cover 10,000 sq ft.

Adrian Lowe, branch manager for M&S in Queen Street, said: "There are plans for a neighbourhood food store in Summertown, although I understand negotiations are still taking place.

"The store would mainly sell food but there would also be some clothing, including hosiery.

"We want to give people an opportunity to shop locally, as well as visiting the city centre."

The new food store would also sell homeware, kitchen accessories, cards and gifts, and would provide competition for the Co-op store in Banbury Road. No-one from the Co-op was available for comment.

The plans for a Summertown branch of M&S follow extensive redevelopment last year of the city centre M&S.

In August, the Queen Street branch received a £2m cash injection, creating 50 new jobs, as part of a push to revive the chain's flagging fortunes nationwide.

The presence of M&S would be a massive boost for Summertown, which faces new residents' parking restrictions from the autumn.

Traders said last month they were confident the new parking zones would not deter shoppers from visiting.