SHOPPERS packed out Broad Street for the first day of the city’s Christmas market.

Event organiser, Nicole Rahimi, said she was relieved to see the market, which features stalls selling food, jewellery and festive decorations, so busy considering it is competing with the Westgate Centre for the first time.

The market, backed by the city and county councils, has been run in Broad Street by Mrs Rahimi since 2013 and this year is the biggest ever, with 60 stalls.

Mother-of-two Mrs Rahimi said: “A week ago I was worried about the Westgate effect but now we are open I’m not worried any more – it’s very busy.

“People come here because they are looking for a special experience – they can smell the sausages and the mulled wine and they can get into the Christmas spirit with their friends.

“I’m sure the Westgate will bring in more people to Oxford and hopefully we will benefit from that increased footfall.”

The market runs until December 17 and Mrs Rahimi said she expected an estimated 150,000 people to attend.

The event organiser, who first ran a Christmas market at Oxford Castle Quarter, said she was delighted that Westgate Oxford Alliance has featured the outdoor market on its website.

The shopping centre owners said online: “Broad Street will be filled with carol singing, market stalls, festive decorations and the delicious mulled wine.”

Among shoppers at the market were Robert Dickens and Sarah Collins, both 20, and law students at Oxford University college Lady Margaret Hall.

Mr Dickens said people would be attracted by the market’s ‘quaintness’.

Miss Collins, a fan of coffee shops at the Westgate Centre, added: “People like to support independent traders and there are stalls here you wouldn’t see at any other time of year.”

Amy Hawes, of gift store Podarok, which has a shop in High Street, said: “Having a stall at the market is a way of drawing people in to our High Street store.

“We have seen lots of people with bags from the Westgate Centre walking through the market – there is definitely room for both.”

Hugo Tracey, 34, from Oxford, who did a roaring trade selling churros at the market, also sells churros at Westgate with his Los Churros Amigos business.

He said: “Shoppers at the Westgate Centre are coming here too.”

Graham Jones, of traders' group ROX – Promoting Oxford Business, said the market should have a positive effect on trade in the city centre.