Traders in Oxfordshire have urged shoppers to help the battle against the bleak economic times by buying local.

Businesses believe the effects of the worsening economic slump could be offset by people shopping locally to keep as much money within the county’s economy to try to safeguard jobs.

The call comes as the Local Government Association today warned Oxfordshire it could lose seven per cent of its jobs.

The Federation of Small Businesses in Oxfordshire has renewed its Keep Trade Local campaign and now, with recession looming, the organisation has urged shoppers to go out of their way to visit independent traders.

Last night, Barry Wheatley, chairman of the county’s FSB, warned the majority of independent traders would not have the financial resources to reopen if they were forced to close.

And that would mean jobs would be lost.

There are about 50,000 businesses in Oxfordshire and Mr Wheatley said 99 per cent were small businesses, employing 50 staff or less.

He said: “If money is spent locally instead of in Reading or London, for example, then the money creates wealth and protects jobs.

“If footfall decreases in local stores, then there is a risk of closure and for many independents that means they will never reopen.

“I think there is a greater risk of job losses in the market towns, rather than in Oxford, but once independent shops have gone, a place can quickly lose its character.”

Mr Wheatley said the availability of parking spaces played a big part in keeping businesses profitable and said Witney was “thriving” because there was so much free parking available.

Oxford is awash with small, independent shops found in places like the Covered Market, described as “the jewel in the city’s crown”.

Graham Jones, of the traders’ group Oxford High Street Association, said: “If independent shops go, then jobs will go too, and the unique nature of certain locations will change.

“In the short term, the delay on the redevelopment of the Westgate Centre could be a good thing because it means there will be a reasonable amount of car parking available in the run-up to Christmas.

“Independent traders give a nice range of specialist shops and if we lose them we’ll lose them for good.

“Oxford will be the poorer for it.”

Richard Alden, chairman of the Covered Market Traders’ Association, said: “We have second and third generations of families coming to the market.

“They can see both sides. They will shop at Bicester village or Tesco sometimes, but they know that if they don’t use the shops in the market they could go.

“They might get their toilet rolls monthly from the supermarket, but if they want a pheasant, piece of cheese, or a pair of leather shoes, they will come to the Covered Market.”

Oxford is renowned for its independent traders. We spoke to a number around the county to see how they are coping with the current economic climate Mick’s Cafe, Botley Road Mick Harris, 68, has run Mick’s Cafe in Botley Road for the past 23 years.

He has noticed a slight fall in trade in the past six months, but said the situation was not as bad as in the last recession of the 1990s.

He said: “The cost of food has gone up so I’m considering putting the prices up, but we are a breakfast cafe and we make sure we’re good value because we don’t want to drive customers away. Coffee is £1 and a cup of tea is 80p and I want to keep our prices competitive. I’m not too worried at the moment, but the situation is definitely something I am keeping my eye on.”

The Holly Bush Inn, off Botley Road Kate Gresswell, landlord of the Holly Bush Inn, off Botley Road, said: “There are fewer younger drinkers coming in and there are fewer, older traditional drinkers.

“We do home-cooked food, teas and coffees and host local events and we want to be part of the community.

“Supermarkets sell alcohol at such a low price — and then pubs get the blame if there are drink-related incidents.”

Sweet Chocolate in Abingdon This retro sweet shop opened in Stert Street in September and owners Helen and David Axe believe they made the right decision to set up the business.

Helen, 31, runs the shop with her mother-in-law Linda Kennett, 53, above.

Mrs Axe said: “The response so far from people in Abingdon has been fantastic and the shop is very busy at weekends.

“We offer old-fashioned sweets and chocolate with great customer service and a lot of people are saying this is just what Abingdon needed.

“Children of all ages are coming in and their parents get really nostalgic about the sweets.

“We have had a lot of support from other traders in Stert Street, who have said they welcome another independent trader to the town.”

The Book Lover, Woodin’s Way, Oxford Julian Tester, 43, right, opened The Book Lover in 2006, selling second-hand books and comics.

The chartered engineer started a website last November as an extra means of selling stock and now believes he would struggle to survive without the help of orders through the Internet.

Mr Tester said: “Oxford is a good place to run a book shop and everyone seems pleased I’m here, but the credit crunch has come at a bad time. If small businesses in Oxford go under in this recession then a lot of them won’t return. People will just try to trade from home instead.”

Celina Godoy, owner of Galeria Brasil in Cowley Road, said: “It is very important for people to think local.

“Rather than going to buy some jewellery in Bicester Village, you should come to me or to Bridget Wheatley or another independent jeweller.

“We’re all very much feeling the pinch and the last two months have been horrible.

“The more the crisis deepens we feel the customers are not spending. We are depending a lot on public sympathy in order to keep going.”

Jon Spira, who owns Videosyncratic in Cowley Road and South Parade, said: “A really good example is that right now in Summertown they have just shut down Blockbuster.

“The burden of responsibility is on the consumer.

“It is now very difficult for people to start a business, which makes it even more important to support those which do exist.”

John Benney, who runs The Gameskeeper in Cowley Road with his wife, Carol, said: “The best reason to come to us rather than a big chain is because we know what we’re doing and we have a wider range of things.

“Unfortunately I don’t believe there is any hope of changing people’s habits — those who want to stay at home and buy things online will probably continue to do so.”

In Headington steps have been taken to reinvigorate the local business association.

Iain Nicholson, of the Oxfordshire Town Chambers Network, said: “It’s a challenge for any shopping centre and market town right now. There has been a change in the economy, the drive of the Internet and out of town shopping. It’s a changing economy and lifestyles are affected because of that.”

He said the group was looking to organise more events to attract people to Headington, including a three-day Christmas Experience between Thursday, November 27 and Saturday, November 29.

He said: “We’ve seen how popular things like the monthly farmers’ market in drawing people into Headington. We want to see businesses working together and helping each other out.”