A STRUGGLING community market will be closed throughout August and September while organisers consider its future.

The monthly Leys Community Market, which provides a base for local traders in The Barn, Greater Leys, was also not held in July.

After breaking the news to the Leys Community Partnership last month, co-organiser Christine McDermott said the closure was only temporary.

She said: “We are at a critical juncture and have temporarily closed the market for a number of reasons.

“It’s volunteer-led, so it fully relies on local people.

“The steering group is also in a transition period and on a regular basis the market is very small.”

Since the market opened at Christmas 2012, about 100 people have attended each market with any number of traders from four to 15 setting up shop.

Late last year, a six-week trial saw the market go weekly, but it then reverted back to its monthly status.

Ms McDermott said: “The market has been well-supported by organisations and with funding, but as a community, the natural instinct we have is to get in a car and go to a supermarket.”

Local produce is a frequent feature of the market, including honey made by Pegasus Road resident and beekeeper Russell Price.

Mr Price, who has sold his honey at the market for over a year, said: “For me it’s not a business – I do it for pleasure and fascination with the bees – but some people have seen the honey on the stall and come round to my house because they appreciate it.

“It’s only when things like the Leys Market cease to operate that people start missing it.”

In June, Oxford Community Action Group (CAG) set up shop at the market, lending organisers a “smoothie bike” for visitors to blend their own fruit while cycling.

Project officer Peter Lefort said: “In Blackbird Leys, we are all aware of the difficulties of running a market, especially on a volunteer capacity.

“It’s a huge undertaking and there has been amazing effort.

“In the Leys there’s not much access to good food that’s affordable. There’s a lot of takeaways but not much for people to buy.”

An open event on September 26 will be held at The Barn, Long Ground to discuss ideas to revamp the market, including the possibility of paid positions.

All are welcome. More details will be announced in the near future.