The England football team's humiliating exit from the Europ 2008 Championships could cost the county's economy £4m.

That is the view of Oxfordshire Chamber of Commerce board member Keith Slater after he surveyed the loss of income for sports shops, pubs, supermarkets and even travel agents, who would have taken hundreds of fans to key games in Austria and Switzerland next summer.

Mr Slater said: "It has been estimated the British economy will lose £1.5bn and I reckon Oxfordshire's share of that is about £4m, which is very significant.

"You just have to look at how much business was done during the Rugby World Cup, and the Euros would have been much bigger than that."

As a result, gloomy landlords and retailers have been left nursing financial hangovers likely to last until next September, when the beleaguered national side begins its 2010 World Cup campaign.

Chris Carey, landlord of the Woodstock Arms, in Woodstock Road, Oxford, said: "We normally have about 50 people in to watch the England games which adds about £1,000 to our takings.

"Even if England had only got through to the quarter-finals I would have earned £5,000, which won't happen now."

Maureen Hirst, landlady of the Duke of Monmouth, in Abingdon Road, Oxford, said England's failure to qualify - by losing 3-2 to Croatia at Wembley on Wednesday - would cost her pub thousands in lost takings.

She said: "I'm sure it will have an impact on our business. We always get more punters in on nights the football is showing.

"Even when it is on terrestrial television, people still come to the pub to watch, as they like the atmosphere."

Keith Millard, landlord of the Carpenters Arms in Witney, said: "We spend £268 a month on Sky and Setanta and there won't be any England games to show in the summer.

"We also make about £1,000 a game in takings, so we will be hit hard."

Lester Giles, a partner at Giles Sports, in Carterton, ordered hundreds of new-style replica England kits in September and fears he will not be able to sell them.

He said: "It is going to be a disaster - the new England shirt is launched next spring and there will be no interest in it.

"Hopefully, I will be able to send it back to the manufacturer and get my money back."

Lamin Manneh, acting manager of JJB Sports, in Magdalen Street, Oxford, was also worried.

He said: "Shirts have been doing well, but now we're not going to sell any. I just hope the cricket team performs in the summer."