BUSINESSES which are still open online and offering home deliveries in Oxford, can now be found in one handy guide.

Oxford City Council has created a directory of Oxford businesses that are operating safely on the web and delivering to customers during the coronavirus outbreak.

The online list includes more than 60 Oxford businesses, broken down into sections including fresh food, restaurants and cafés cakes, ice cream and snacks, tea and coffee, beer and wine, clothing, books, homeware, florists, bicycle repair and fitness and leisure.

Last week the city council wrote to businesses in Oxford to ask them about online ordering and delivery services. The directory has been created from the responses.

Mary Clarkson, Oxford City Council’s cabinet member for culture and the city centre, said: “We’ve created the directory to make it as easy as possible for Oxford residents to support businesses in Oxford during the coronavirus outbreak.

“All of these businesses – and some for the first time – are offering home deliveries, so while you stay at home and protect the NHS, please do try where you can to support businesses here in Oxford.”

Businesses on the list include restaurants Lebanese and Moroccan fusion restaurant Le Kesh, G& Ds cafes, which are still delivering ice cream, dessert and drinks, and Jericho Coffee Traders.

The Oxford Wine Company is also delivering, as is vintage clothing shop Fresh Oxford.

As social distancing measures came into force last week and shops were forced to close, many smaller, independent businesses faced the prospect of going out of business.

The Government has promised relief for both businesses and the self-employed, which will mean they will be able to claim back 80 per cent of the salaries they would usually be paid.

To help businesses which were not able to remain open, the Government also relaxed laws around which ones could deliver food.

The Oxford Mail has also pledged to back local businesses in recent weeks.

On Friday, March 13, the newspaper joined others across the country to pledge to be #ThereWithYou and support local business through the crisis.

Last week the Mail campaigned to highlight independent, local and family-run businesses in Oxfordshire which are still open despite the crisis.

The campaign called Still Open in Oxfordshire aims to shine a spotlight on small businesses going the extra mile to support their communities.

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Samantha Harman, Editor, said: “In unprecedented times such as these we must all do our best to support our independent businesses.

“In all of our titles we will be featuring the efforts of local businesses which have been going the extra mile to support their customers.

“If you have any examples of a business going above and beyond please get in touch.”

Oxford Mail:

Neil Leonard of Le Kesh on the Cowley Road. Picture: Ed Nix.

Oxford Mail:

James and Lizzie Armitage of Jericho Coffee Traders. Picture: Ed Nix.

ALSO READ: Oxford Mail is supporting Oxfordshire's independent businesses

Any Oxford-based businesses which wants to be included on the city council’s directory, can email economicdevelopment@oxford.gov.uk for info and provide the name of the business, and the website, email address or phone number.

See the directory here

Similar directories of Oxford businesses operating online have also been created by Independent Oxford, Bitten Oxford and Daily Info.