Oxford’s celebrated outdoor market in Gloucester Green will reopen tomorrow (17 June).
The market, which is run by LSD Promotions on behalf of Oxford City Council, will return to its normal operating days of Wednesdays, Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays from 9am to 5pm.
Gloucester Green Market has a wide-ranging offer, including street food, fresh produce, household goods, flowers, books, hats and clothes.
The market includes street food from more than 20 countries and features vegetarian, vegan and gluten free options. It will feature new signage to guide people around the stalls and enable social distancing, a hand sanitising station, and social distanced stalls.
To achieve these measures, the number of stalls has been slightly reduced. Traders have also adapted their stalls and businesses to enable social distancing, and compliance with the Government’s latest safety standards.
The Government allowed ‘non-essential’ shops to reopen on Monday providing they implemented measures to meet social distancing and hygiene standards.
Linda McGillicuddy, market director at LSD Promotions, said: “The demand from locals for the market to return has been huge and traders are very excited to be back in the square, many of whom consider it their second home.
“Gloucester Green market has a vibrant community in a marketplace that is not only in the top five tourist attractions in Oxford but provides outlets for multiple micro businesses alongside developing arts initiatives unique to the city.”
Councillor Mary Clarkson, Oxford City Council Cabinet Member for the City Centre, Covered Market and Culture, said: “I am delighted that Gloucester Green Market is returning. It is such a unique and valued part of Oxford. I’m sure many people – myself included – have been looking forward to popping down to the market during their lunchbreak and trying a dish from a far-flung corner of our world. Of course the market will operate differently when it first reopens, and I would ask people to keep their distance and look out for each other when they do return.”
Andrew Taylor, from Event Food UK Ltd, said: “I can’t wait to be back serving our regulars and the many visitors that shop and socialise at the market. We are a multicultural community that has bonded in the melting pot that is Gloucester Green Market, and I’m so happy to be returning to Oxford from Wednesday.” Event Food UK Ltd trades in Gloucester Green Market on all four days that the market is open.
Not all regular stallholders will however be there tomorrow, with some waiting to see if the regular customers will return.
Franklin Lobo from Signature Curry said: “I won’t be starting at the market tomorrow. I will need to see if there’s a high number of footfall first. I might start in July if I see positive signs.”
Either way, the more customers who return, the bigger the market will get, and the more local businesses you can support.
