TYRES and saddles are set to replace sweets and fancy dress costumes at an East Oxford shop unit.

Beeline Bicycles has taken up the lease on the former Bead Games store in Cowley Road and submitted an application to alter the shop front.

Bead Games, owned and run by Erica Steinhauer, closed its doors in March after a quarter of century of trading.

At the time, Ms Steinhauer, who opened the shop in 1986, said she had failed to find someone to take over the lease when the shop closes.

She said: “It seems these sorts of independent businesses are no longer viable.”

However, Beeline Bicycles, which also has a shop just a few hundred yards away, has taken up the lease and wants to renovate the premises.

Owner Louis Tulip was unavailable to comment and so could not say what the new store will mean for the current premises.

In a planning application submitted to Oxford City Council, the bike shop states: “Beeline Bicycles, who (sic) already own a shop in the Cowley Road, have just taken over the lease of the above premises and wish to modify the shop front in order to improve the general appearance and to improve the overall customer experience. The alterations are relatively minor involving a new shop front and repositioned doors, a new facia sign and a new projecting high-level sign.

“The main variation to the existing is the formation of a low brick wall and the doors being moved to the centre of the frontage.

“A ramped access will be provided from pavement level to that of the shop in order to improve general access. The application is justified on the grounds that the proposed alterations do not conflict with planning guidelines, affect the amenity of neighbours or adversely affect the street scene.”

Maya Angrish, from neighbouring Bombay Emporium, welcomed the shop’s new occupants.

She said: “We are happy. They have been in Cowley Road a long time.

“It doesn’t matter who comes. As long as they pay the rent, anybody is welcome.”

The shop has also appeared in Inspector Morse, and featured this year in spin-off detective drama Lewis, with Morse author Colin Dexter in a cameo role.