Supermarket giant Tesco is planning to open its second city centre store in the former Borders bookshop in Magdalen Street.

In April, the company announced it was to open its first city centre Express store in the former Solus Lighting shop in St Aldate’s.

Now it has emerged Tesco has lodged planning and licensing applications to open a Metro store just yards from a Sainsbury’s Local outlet.

The firm already runs a Metro store, which has a wider range of products than an Express, in Cowley Road.

La Tesco said if plans were approved the shop would “act as a magnet” for shoppers and increase the number of people coming to the area.

But John Partington, a director of the Covered Market Traders’ Association, warned it could threaten independent businesses in the city centre.

He said: “It kills off little traders like us. You can do a one-stop shop which is all very convenient and nice, and competitive on price, but everyone ends up with the same old food.

“It ends up sucking the energy out of places like the Covered Market, which are trying to do something unique, exciting and different.

"You can’t buy rabbit in Tesco or wild boar, but it has a knock-on effect on the meat people and the chocolate people and you actually end up with less choice.”

Tesco applied to Oxford City Council for permission for a new entrance, illuminated signs and a cash machine.

Managers also asked for an alcohol licence for 6am to 12.30am Monday to Friday, 6am to midnight on Saturday and 10am to 6pm on Sunday.

We understand only the ground floor of the building would be turned into shop space.

Tesco already has plans to redevelop former pub sites, including the Fox and Hounds, in Abingdon Road, and the Friar, in Marston Road.

Tesco spokesman Melanie Chiswell said: “All the other schemes are going forward as planned.

“We do a huge amount of research before we invest in sites and we’re confident and pleased to be investing in a redundant city centre site. When we open a Tesco Metro store we act as a magnet for shoppers and it increases the number of people who visit that area by an average of 80 per cent.

“It’s an opportunity for other traders to attract those people by offering a different service or product.”

Colin Cook, the city council’s executive member for city development, said: “The level of supermarket provision in the city centre is not as high as it probably needs to be.

“Certainly additional competition from somewhere like Tesco will only serve to help keep prices down for people coming to shop in the city.”

Nuala Young, a city councillor who runs guided tours in Oxford, added: “As long as they don’t have too many glaring signs out in front and it’s discreet, it’s difficult to object.”

The council will review the applications on July 15, while the drinks licence will be considered on July 25.

  • Parking charges in city centre streets are to rise by up to a third after Oxfordshire County Council approved proposals yesterday.

    The cost of parking in streets such as St Giles will increase from £3 to £4 for two hours, with fees for an hour rising by 25 per cent from £2 to £2.50. There will also be a new charge of £1 for 30 minutes.