Two long-established butcher's shops at Oxford's Covered Market have closed amid growing anger at the city council's latest legal bid to increase rents.

Clay's and Gibbard & Son have shut the shops in the market, and Clay's managing director, Kevin Bramham, made it clear that his company had finally lost patience with the endless legal wrangling over rent and leases.

Mr Bramham said: "The on-going situation with the rents has just dragged on for more than two years. We just got fed up with the position."

Clay's has ten other shops in the region and the three staff in the market have been relocated. The owners of Gibbard & Son are understood to open an art and picture frame shop instead, which will cut down on running costs.

Oxford City Council confirmed its intention to appeal against a county court ruling that stopped the authority raising rents by 86 per cent. The 42 traders in the market were paying £598,000 a year in total, but the proposed increase would push the total beyond £1m.

The court ruled that a ten per cent increase would be fair and reasonable. If the council's appeal is unsuccessful, the rise will be introduced next month.

Covered Market Tenants' Association chairman Alan Lester said: "The prospect of the appeal has demoralised people here.

"We will take them on if this is what they want. But this legal fight has already cost the council thousands of pounds already."