Applications for Continental-style street cafes are to be looked at "sympathetically" in a bid to give Oxford a more relaxed feel.

Oxford City Council is expecting a flood of requests for outside seating at cafes, pubs and restaurants when the ban on smoking indoors in public places comes into force on July 1.

And it has promised to do all it can to help.

Only four cafes in the city centre are licensed to have outside seating, but the council is set to offer support to help more to operate outdoors.

However, those wanting outdoor seating have been warned their application faces a double dose of red tape - potentially being examined by two councils.

A report circulated to city councillors this week said people supported an expansion of street cafes in Oxford. It said: "People favoured Oxford having a more European feel.

"Street cafes, entertainment, street art and sculpture, as long as they were carefully planned, would give the city a better atmosphere, make it feel inspiring and safer."

Jean Fooks, the council's executive member for a cleaner city, said: "Applications will be looked at with sympathy. I think a lot of people feel Oxford has been slow to embrace the so-called cafe culture, but I would be pleased to receive many more applications.

"Clearly there are cases where it could cause problems. When it's a highways issue, it's a county council problem."

The Town Hall's planning guidance on outdoor cafes says they can make "an exciting and vibrant contribution to the street scene".

Bob Price, the Labour group leader, said: "There must be scope for doing it in Headington, Cowley and Blackbird Leys even.

"The city council is trying wherever it can to encourage a street culture. Cafes are better for families than going into a pub."

County council highways officer Katherine Powley said: "The council supports proposals for street cafes, where they are compatible with the width, layout and use of the street.

"However, a balance must always be found between different users of a street and seating associated with cafes. Other similar businesses must be planned carefully, to prevent them from becoming dangerous or a nuisance."

The county council is drawing up guidelines on the issue.