A frustrated shopkeeper said it almost killed his business after the council unexpectedly installed eight new bicycle racks directly in front of his shop.

The new racks went up without warning in front of Mary and Martin’s Newsagents on Woodstock High Street last week.

It is now impossible for vehicles to stop temporarily on a double yellow line outside the shop to make deliveries and collections and anyone who wants to pop into the shop has to park elsewhere.

READ MORE: Police confirm cause of death of Oxford stab victim

The owners say the bike racks have 'severely compromised' their ability to keep running the business.

Mr Kumar said: “We have 10kg bundles of newspapers delivered every day as well as drinks and other stock items and we have daily parcel collections.

“These bike racks appeared last week. No one consulted us, no one said, this is what we’re doing. It's very inconsiderate.

“I open every single day at 5.30am. We used to get 30 people in here first thing, going to the Co-op and coming here for a paper. Now we have no passing trade.

“People don’t want to go into the car park. At 5.30 in the morning they just want to stop the car and get the paper on the way to work.

"Anyway they can’t park in the car park because it’s full of householders, and there are double yellow lines everywhere else."

He added: "This building has been here for 200 years. All the deliveries have to go through the front door and there’s no room to do anything on the pavement."

Neighbour Andrew Hennell, who has owned Antiques Of Woodstock in the Market Place since 1996, said he fully supported Mr Kumar.

"This is a typical example of what should be a good idea - to discourage car users in favour of less polluting bicycles - being ill thought out with zero consideration given to the impact on this local business," he said.

READ MORE: University chaplain accused of improper rape remarks gets new college role

"They did a ridiculous parking consultation in Woodstock which didn't indicate anything about cycling.

"There are numerous locations in the centre of Woodstock where bicycle racks could have been located that would not affect the ability of retailers to continue to operate their businesses.

"I've been here for 28 years and I have never witnessed anyone over a certain age turning up on a bicycle to collect their newspaper - let alone eight at the same time.

"I have, however, seen numbers of bicycles propped up on benches on the Market Square, outside the Star pub or outside my shop.

"Why they would place eight bike racks right outside the newsagent as opposed to the place where people usually dump bikes is beyond me."

Oxfordshire County Council said it has now agreed to remove two of the stands "which will help the business load and unload but still retain a good amount of cycle parking in this area."

A spokesperson said: "We’ve liaised with the business and they are happy with the outcome."

Mr Kumar said: "We are grateful."