TRADE in Oxford is dwindling with businesses blaming the fall in shoppers on roadworks and high parking charges.

Oxford City Council revealed that footfall in the city centre for the year to date was down 6.5 per cent, and down year on year by 5.9 per cent.

And traders warned it was “use us or lose us” as they fight to survive against a backdrop of disruption.

Mark Butcher ran the St Giles Cafe in Oxford but has now left to run the White Hart pub at Wytham.

The restaurateur said it was easier to make money on the outskirts of the city than in the city centre.

He said: “The roadworks are the bane of everyone’s life at the moment – the city appeals to tourists but not to residents. The Westgate Centre is being revamped but the opening is a long way off and I am convinced a lot of people are not coming into the city centre because the parking costs too much.

“It’s ludicrous shoppers have to pay so much to park and it’s more financially viable to run a pub on the outskirts of the city than it is to run a cafe in the city centre.”

A spokesman for the St Giles Cafe said they were actually “very busy” at the moment.

Sandie Griffith, secretary of the Covered Market Traders’ Association, said: “Oxford has been struggling because of the roadworks but we are feeling optimistic as we approach Christmas because that’s a good time of year for the market.

“The message to shoppers remains very much use us or lose us – we are having an open market on Friday in Market Street.”

Vicki Alder, chairwoman of Macsamillion shoe shop, said: “The roadworks have had a deplorable effect on footfall – shoppers comment on it every day but I am definitely optimistic about Christmas.

“Customers also tell us that parking costs too much and the councils should now offer some free parking on weekends in the park-and-rides over the next few weeks.”

It costs £3.30 for up to one hour at the city council’s Worcester Street car park, while eight to 24 hours costs £25.

Five years ago an hour at Worcester Street cost £2.30, while eight to 24 hours cost £21.90. Graham Jones, of traders’ group Rescue Oxford (ROX), said retailers expressed their concern at a meeting at the Old Bank Hotel.

Mr Jones said: “I think the roadworks in Frideswide Square have had an impact because people are deliberately avoiding coming into Oxford.

“Witney has free parking and it is well and truly flourishing. We are going through a difficult period but we will have to see how traders do over Christmas and New Year.

“Once the new Westgate Centre opens, Oxford will have a very good story to tell but it’s two years to go and it could be a rocky road until then.”

Mr Jones added that there would be free parking at all city park and rides on Saturday, December 5.

City council leader Bob Price said the reduction in footfall should not be a major cause for concern. He said: “The city centre has an exciting future. But we shouldn’t just be excited about the future; we should be excited about now.

Oxford Mail:

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“The message from me is clear: Oxford is open for business, and we are working with developers and retails to make sure this is the case for the long term.”

Oxford city centre manager Laurie Taylor said: “The roadworks have caused problems and parking is an issue but the message to shoppers is that Oxford is open for business.”

Oxford City Council spokesman Dominic Llewellyn-Jones said the latest footfall figures provided by research company Springboard showed from November 16 to November 22 there were 693,787 visitors, compared to the previous week of 678,885, while for the same week last year the figure was 708,181.

County council cabinet member for transport David Nimmo Smith said he expected the £5.8m revamp of Frideswide Square to be completed by December 16 or December 17.

He added: “Oxford is certainly open for business and the roadworks will bring improvements and boost capacity at various pinch-points.

“Parking charges are not designed to be a cash cow and we review the charges on a yearly basis.”