Demand is growing for new sites for food chain convenience stores in Oxford.

The recent trend towards smaller supermarkets in the city has prompted agents to start looking for further possible locations.

Tom Barton, diector of Kidlington-based VSL & Partners, said: “We recently acquired the second Morrisons retail convenience operation in Oxford and are now looking for sites between 2,000 and 5,000 sq ft that might be useful for a similar outlet.

“There is a shift in the way people shop and we have been involved in three such developments recently.”

The deal on the Morrisons convenience store in Oxford involved premises of 4,500 sq ft at 381 Cowley Road on a 15-year lease with a ten-year break.

It follows the opening of the city’s first Morrisons store in Headington last October.

VSL also helped find premises for Tesco at 83-85 London Road, Headington, which is currently being fitted out.