Oxford: Covered Market traders as they celebrate 250th

New banners and bunting have now gone up at the historic market and there will be a series of special celebrations throughout the year to mark the anniversary.

Traders gathered earlier this month for a photo shoot to celebrate the landmark year.

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The anniversary follows a very positive 2023 for the market.

Last year it welcomed several new businesses and market landlords, the city council, launched later opening hours.

Here are a selection of nostalgic photos of the historic market from recent years and recent decades.

In 2017, Prince Charles and the Duchess of Cornwall got a warm welcome when they visited the market.

The toured the market and spent time talking to individual traders, including Browns cafe and the Oxford Cheese Company.

Graham MacDonald, who owns iScream gelateria and Wicked Chocolate with wife Jenny, is one of many friendly faces in the market. 

His award-winning gelato has customers queuing out the door during the hot summer months.

Former Oxford Mail photographer Richard Cave took this photo of him a few years ago.

The market has always had excellent florists and in recent years these have included Jemini Flowers and The Garden of Oxford.

Here's a photo I took of staff member Shadee at The Garden of Oxford in 2018.

The Oxford Mail archive has photos dating back many decades.
Here is a photo of Haymans in 1959. It was a family firm at the market for many years.

Richard Alden, whose son Matthew runs Aldens butchers based on the Osney Mead industrial estate, was chairman of the Covered Market Traders Association in 2007.

From time to time the association had to negotiate with landlords the city council, about the rents.

In recent years the city council has invested millions of pounds in the market and has produced a masterplan to revamp it. 

There will be celebrations throughout the year for the 250th anniversary.