A BUTCHERS which has been a mainstay in Oxford’s Covered Market for over a century has announced it is leaving, blaming customers’ changing habits.

Hedges Butchers said it will continue to grow, but outside the city after making the ‘inevitable decision’ to move out because fewer people are buying meat in the market.

Meanwhile shoe shop Macsamillion, which had a branch in the market, also appeared yesterday to have shut for good.

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Abingdon-based Hedges Butchers’ departure leaves four units in the treasured market empty from a total of 56, and some traders have blamed Oxford City Council for a lack of advertising during a difficult period for the retail sector.

Michael Ashton, managing director of Hedges, said: “Sadly, we have made the increasingly inevitable decision to close our shop at the Covered Market in Oxford after over 100 years as a tenant.

“The decision was not an easy one. We have such a great team of professional and knowledgeable butchers who have worked at the market for many years and Ian Pavier, our manager, has been there for 40 years. We are grateful for their dedication and hard work, which we hope will continue with us.

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“As a business, Hedges Butchers is growing and we have plans to continue growing. However, fewer people are coming to the shop in the Covered Market to buy their meat and we need to change the way we do business to meet the changing demands of today’s customers.”

Mr Ashton said the company has delivered for six days a week to a range of suppliers – but many are less willing or simply unable to visit the market to buy meat. He said the ‘vast majority’ of the company’s customers will see ‘no change’ in service.

Over the last year the market, which opened in 1774, has lost a number of long-serving fresh food traders including McCarthy's Fruit and Veg, Haymans the fishmongers and another butchers, John Lindsey.

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The city council has pledged to spend £1.6m improving the market until 2022.

Mary Clarkson, the council's executive board member for culture and city centre, said: “We are sorry to see Hedges Butchers leave the Covered Market. As they have observed, people’s shopping habits have changed over recent years. This change is happening across the country, and markets like Oxford’s are responding.

“We are fortunate that Oxford city centre has increasing footfall and a real buzz to it, and because of this we have a number of traders hoping to open in the Covered Market. Our leasing strategy aims to ensure each new business is local and independent, has a forward-thinking business plan, and will fit well amongst the existing mix of traders.”

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Meanwhile, both units belonging to footwear company Macsamillion were closed this week with no explanation. The Oxford Mail was unable to confirm with the company that it had closed permanently.

It has two shoe shops in the market, the Foot Foundation and its Macsamillion shop, as well as a base in Grove.

Another Covered Market trader, Patrik Agren, said the council needed to improve its advertising of the market. His embroidery shop, Ricami Veronica, has operated since late November 2017 but he said trading was slow in the first six months of 2018.

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Mr Agren said: “When I bought the lease (for his shop) last year I had people telling me: ‘in July, August you can’t walk in (to the Covered Market) because it’s so busy'. Now, it’s like every weekday.

“I have local people coming in and they say they haven’t been in for the last six, seven years. The locals need to be reminded there are non-high street shops here and to support it.”

He added: “The entrance to the market is particularly badly particularly advertised. You’re not going to know it’s here. They’re not doing enough advertising for locals to support the market. There’s not enough mainstream advertising to tell people if you’re in Oxford, you should visit the market.”

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Sandie Griffith, secretary of the Covered Market Traders’ Association, said: “It is with great sadness that we are to lose another fresh food trader from the Covered Market, and we would urge our landlords to be as supportive as possible in attracting another fresh produce trader to replace Hedges Butchers.

“The Covered Market plays a very important role within the retail offer of Oxford, bringing together small, local and independent traders that are unable to afford high city centre rents.”

The council announced this week that men’s tailoring and country wear shop Leonard Jay will open up in the market. It will be the company’s fourth store – and the first outside London.

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The Souvlaki Brothers, an independent and Oxford-based company which sells Greek food, opened in the Covered Market at the end of June.

Hedges Butchers will close at the end of September. The city council said Market News is also set to close. Leonard Jay will open next month.

Tom Jennings, Oxford City Council spokesman, said: “We have a lot of interested parties, who we cannot name at this stage, in the vacant units.”

He added: “We have not been able to reach the owners of Macsamillion since [Thursday] morning.”