The city's historic Covered Market has become a 'ghost' of its former self and needs urgent help from the council to save its future, traders have warned.

The market, opened in 1774, has recently lost a number of long-serving traders including McCarthy's Fruit and Veg, Haymans the fishmongers, and butchers John Lindsey.

But traders said those vacant units were now being offered at an even higher price and feared independent food stalls would be unlikely to move in – paving the way for 'mobile phone shops and cheap tat merchants'.

Oxford City Council, the market's landlord, said it was in 'advanced discussions' with a number of fresh food retailers and was positive about the future.

Oxford Mail: Baron Robert Pouget

Oxford Cheese Company owner, Baron Robert Pouget, launched a scathing attack on the market's management and revealed that, despite his shop doing well, he has considered quitting.

Oxford Mail: Oxford's famous Covered Market has started to look sad after the opening of the new Westgate Shopping Centre. Various empty units.19.3.2018Picture by Ed Nix

He said: "When I first arrived there were six or seven butchers, four or five greengrocers, fishmongers, fruit and veg stalls used by so many people.

"But looking at it now, it's a ghost, there's hardly a soul there."

Oxford Mail: Oxford's famous Covered Market has started to look sad after the opening of the new Westgate Shopping Centre. Various empty units.19.3.2018Picture by Ed Nix

He added that the 'short sighted greed' of council officials had lead to its decline and its current 'sad state'.

The French-born Baron, who created Oxford Blue cheese, said: "Perhaps it’s time that the people of Oxford urged their representatives on the council to take up the challenge of saving the market, that’s if they want it to survive with any vestige of its original character."

"We should be promoting food based traders of real quality which made the market popular in the first place, not mobile phone shops and shoe shops.

"Especially with the Westgate Centre opening, we need to offer something different."

After a number of long-serving market traders left the market in recent months, traders have called for better promotion and Oxford City Council recently announced it would invest £1.6m into the market over the next four years.

Jesus College also unveiled plans earlier this month to redevelop Northgate House – opposite the market entrance – to make the street more attractive.

McCarthy's Fruit and Veg could also be replaced by three smaller units to encourage specialist food sellers into the market.

But secretary of the Covered Market Tenants Association, Sandie Griffith, said the council needed to listen to the market traders and its customers.

She said: "I don't know if they are not listening or if they don't really understand the market, or they are just not caring about it.

"The vacant units are being offered at a higher price than was paid by the previous tenants – an independent butchers or greengrocers will not be looking at that.

"We are being told the market will have to change as retail does, which is right, but it doesn't have to change in a way that it loses its food offering.

"That's what makes the market unique."

She added that another rent increase was planned in the future and urged the council to better protect the market's future.

The Jemini Flowers owner said: "I'm thinking about starting a new campaign – a Friends of the Market group – and get people to bombard the council with what they want to see in the Covered Market."

"I hope it will turn around – the council is trying, they want to create three smaller units opposite the cheese shop for example, but it's just not in keeping with the market."

Oxford City Council's Covered Market 'champion', Mary Clarkson, said: "I know things have been tough for a lot of retailers over the past few months, and certainly the severe weather hasn’t helped.

"That said, we are in discussions with a number of retailers – including various fresh produce specialists – who are very enthusiastic about the opportunity presented by an outlet in the Covered Market.

"Together with the investment the council is committing, I’m confident that an injection of fresh businesses and new ideas will help further strengthen the Covered Market’s unique offer.”

The council added it had 'capped' the level of rent increase and had a leasing strategy to ensure a 'healthy mix' of tenant categories.