BUSINESS is booming in Witney as traders shun Oxford to set up shop in the market town, according to local shop owners.

Free parking and cheaper business rates have been hailed for putting Witney on the map for its thriving shopping scene.

Local entrepreneurs, such as Rose Lyburn of Casa Rose clothes boudoir, said despite the town being smaller, Witney was the place to be for business owners wanting to turn a healthier profit. In Witney there are currently only about four empty units, out of 330 shops, including banks and estate agents. The latest Oxford City Council survey, carried out in January, showed there were 20 vacant units in the city centre out of a total of 325 ground-floor shops.

Warwick Robinson, cabinet member responsible for business at West Oxfordshire District Council, said: “It has been a flagship policy of this council to ensure free parking in all of our car parks in West Oxfordshire and we believe this has contributed hugely to the vibrancy and vitality of our towns.

“In addition, within our planning policies we have resisted out-of-town developments, concentrating instead on our High Streets.”

Traders in the town said such was Witney’s appeal they would never consider moving their business to Oxford.

They added that the city’s ‘nightmare’ traffic problems, high business rates, and astronomical parking charges made Witney a more attractive option.

Mrs Lyburn recently opened Casa Rose in Witney. She had originally planned to open a second shop in Oxford but decided against it.

She said: “I’ve had my eye on Witney for years. I was going to open in Oxford first but then two years ago they started some roadworks in Abingdon Road. This affected traffic and people were getting annoyed that they couldn’t get into Oxford.”

Businesses that have recently opened in Witney, as well as Casa Rose, include Sassi, Bill’s restaurant, Poundland, Jigsaw and Jack Wills.

Lisa Clements, one of the owners of clothes shop Sassi, said: “The rates and rents are ridiculous in Oxford. I think it is a lot busier there but put that against the rents and I think it’s more profitable to be here.”

Kevin Rose, co-owner of joke shop The Laughing Stock, said he would never dream of moving to Oxford.

He said: “There are businesses, because of the traffic, that would like to move out of Oxford. Why would we want a business there? It’s a nightmare.”