Cowley Road traders are finishing their preparations for a protest march through Oxford on Saturday.

The shopkeepers, who are opposing huge rent rises and fighting for compensation following months of roadworks, are due to meet at 11am outside Bead Games and 1001 Bohemian Nights, for a march to the Town Hall to deliver a petition signed by more than 1,600 people.

They are urging customers to show their support by joining them.

Erica Steinhauer, owner of Bead Games, said: "We'd love for people to come out and support us. The point of people coming on the march is to show their concern and show the authorities there's a deep groundswell of people not happy.

"Cowley Road is one of the few places in Oxford where you can shop, lunch, wander and have a coffee, and it has a feel unlike any other part of the city. People enjoy coming here to browse and they come back. We want to make sure this continues."

In certain cases, the city council can use "power of well being" to let or sell property at less than market value. East Oxford area committee chairman and Green Party councillor Craig Simmons has asked the city council to look into the possibility of doing this.

Council leader Alex Hollingsworth said: "We've received the request but are not yet sure whether it will be possible. If it is possible, we'll have to make up the money from somewhere else and that could mean, for example, cutting a community group's grant.

"People need to see it in those terms. The money won't just pop up from nowhere. Frankly, I think there are better things the council could and should spend its money on."

There are fears Cowley Road could lose its individual character if planned rent rises of up to 140 per cent go ahead.

More than a year of roadworks have also taken their toll, with many small businesses struggling.

Ms Steinhauer said: "We're hoping for the council to give us a reasonable relief for the loss of earnings we have suffered in the last 14 months while roadworks have been ongoing.

"I've received a total of £800 in compensation, but I was losing that kind of money each month, so it's just a drop in the ocean."