COVERED Market traders are reeling from a ‘shattering blow’ after the closure of its only fishmongers.

The Alden family has run Haymans since 1989 and has had a presence at the market for 225 years.

The fishmongers closed earlier this month and now all its operations are based at the Fishmarket, part of Osney Food Shed, in the Osney Mead industrial estate in West Oxford.

At the same time some traders say footfall is down as a result of the £440m Westgate Centre opening on October 24.

Sandie Griffith, secretary of the Covered Market Traders Association, said: “Haymans pulling out is a shattering blow to all the traders."

The market, which opened in 1774 to get messy meat stalls off city centre streets, is owned by the city council and Ms Griffith said council managers would now try to bring in another fishmongers.

She added: “People come in for meat, fish and fresh fruit and vegetables so we need to get a fishmongers back.

“Haymans have been here forever – we can’t believe they are gone and we need to bring in another fishmongers to replace them.

“Haymans were one of the big draws and it’s such a shame they have pulled out.”

Ms Griffith said an official footfall count of shoppers in the market would be conducted in March.

Matthew Alden, of Haymans, said the decision to leave the Covered Market was an emotional one, taken as a 15-year lease came to an end.

The family-run firm starting selling meat from in Osney Mead in 1999 and a £1m fish market was created in 2010.

Mr Alden added: “It was a very difficult decision to shut in the Covered Market as we have had a presence there for over 200 years.

“This was a commercial decision and nothing to do with the opening of the Westgate Centre – our takings were up in the week after it opened.

“We sell more than 80 varieties of fresh fish [in Osney Mead] and have recently invested about £100,000 refitting the shop.”

Angela Carroll, who runs Fresh clothes store in the Covered Market, said footfall was noticeably down since the Westgate Centre opened.

She said: “I think we have seen a 10 to 30 per cent decrease in turnover since the Westgate opened and some other traders have experienced the same thing.

“There was a noticeable drop in footfall after Westgate opened but we have just had a very reasonable Saturday so we will have to wait and see what happens in the long-term.

“I hope the increase in shoppers in the city centre as a result of Westgate will benefit us in the long term.

“Christmas is a very good time for the Covered Market, so of course we are hoping for a good Christmas.”

Dave Brook, assistant manager of Bonners fruit and veg store in the Covered Market, said: “Haymans closing is a nightmare so we would love to see another fishmongers come in.”

Vicki Alder, of Macsamillion shoe shop, said the closure was a shock.

City council leader Bob Price said the market manager was now in talks with another fishmongers.