AS Christmas gets closer, the Covered Market in Oxford is looking much brighter than it did earlier this year.

A series of high-profile closures, including Haymans fishmongers, Hedges butchers and Macsamillion shoe shop, left the historic attraction with a number of empty units and the landlords, the city council working hard to fill them.

In July four units remained empty but yesterday, as new business The Oxford Soap Company opened to customers in part of the former Helen & Douglas House unit, city council bosses declared the market was now almost full.

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After the council decided to split empty units to attract new businesses eight new shops will open in the run-up to Christmas.

This will mean 58 of the market’s 61 units will be occupied in the run-up to Christmas, and the total will increase to 63 once work at the former fishmonger’s unit is complete, and to 65 once the work to the former McCarthy’s veg store unit is complete.

Oxford Mail:

Mary Clarkson, executive board member for culture and the city centre, said: “Christmas is always a really exciting time of the year to experience the Covered Market. With almost all of the units now occupied, new benches installed and the Christmas decorations about to go in, the Covered Market looks incredible.”

Ervin Tomkys Valteri, 33, who runs The Oxford Soap Company, with wife Emily, said: “I think it’s a good time for us to open - the council’s decision to split the empty units has made it affordable for us.

“We are selling lots of different products including items from our bestselling English Lavender range.”

The Garden has opened a pop-up store in the former Hedges Butchers’ unit, selling Christmas trees while Wicked Chocolate has opened a pop-up store in part of the former Macsamillion, selling artisan chocolate and Christmas gifts.

And a pop-up store selling Christmas biscuits, gingerbread, stollen and panettone will open in the remaining part of the former Macsamillion unit in mid-November. The shop will be open until Christmas

Cardews of Oxford opened a pop-up store last week in the former Foot Foundation unit, selling kitchenware and Christmas gifts, including teas and coffees.

Splitting units to bring in new traders is part of the council’s £3.1m investment in the Grade II-listed structure.

The investment includes £1.8m to secure the roof for another 60 to 80 years, and £1.3m for internal refurbishment, decorations and new flooring.

Jesus College redevelopment plans for Northgate House on the corner of Market Street and Cornmarket Street, could be followed by a redesigned market entrance.