Market FAQs

Below are the times when the market gates are open to the public.

Good Friday – 8am – 11pm

Saturday – 8am – 11pm

Easter Sunday – Closed

Easter Monday – 10am – 5pm (Sunday trading hours)

Individual trader times will vary so if you need to make sure a specific trader is open, please check with the trader directly. For trader contact details head to our All Trader page.

We are set right in the heart of the city centre, just opposite many bus stops and only 8 minutes’ walk from Oxford rail station.  Head to our Find Us page for more details.

The Covered Market gates open during the following times:

Monday – Saturday 8am – 5pm

Sunday – 10am – 4pm

Bank Holidays – 10am – 4pm

Please note: Opening times for individual traders may vary. Please head to our Traders page to find specific opening times.

Market Street public toilets are open until 5.30 every night. After these have closed if you are using the market after 5.30 during later opening times (Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays) different toilets are provided inside the market. Just follow the signs or ask a trader.

Christmas Day 25 December

Boxing Day 26 December

New Year’s Day 1 January

Easter Sunday

Not at the moment but we are looking to potentially extend our opening hours. Watch this space or sign up to our newsletter to stay in the know.

For full details on how to get here and how to find the market head to our Find Us page.

We don’t have a car park, however, there are various car parks in and around the city centre, including several ‘park and rides’ with bus stops located right outside the market.

For information on all five of Oxford’s park and ride services, click on this link.

For information on city centre parking, follow this link.

Or head to our Find Us page for other ways to travel to the market.

We currently operate a free electric bike delivery service for participating traders delivering to addresses within and near to the Oxford ring road.

Many of our traders also operate their own local home deliveries and some do further afield. Please check with each trader to find out what service they can offer.

The majority of the market has step-free access and operates on the ground floor. For more details on market accessibility, head to our dedicated Accessibility page.

The nearest Oxford City Council public toilets are located right outside the market on Market Street. The nearest accessible toilets are on Market Street, with the next nearest at the Town Hall as well as in the Westgate shopping centre

Oxford’s Covered Market is famous for being a rare example of an undercover market that has continually operated for 250 years. As a result of this long history, you’ll find the building is full of unique quirks and picturesque settings.  Equally, Oxford’s Covered Market is famous for focussing on high quality local independent businesses, all of which are specialists in their field.

There are over 50 independent businesses to shop in. Traders specialise in handpicked fresh produce, gifts, fashion and lifestyle products, as well as an ideal opportunity to refuel, with various cafes and bars offering a wide variety of food and beverages.

Our market also offers a unique selection of experiences offered by traders, from soap-making workshops, tastings and live music, right through to the chance to experience Outer Space at the Space Store.  Our public benches in the middle of the market also offer a great opportunity to recharge and meet up with friends right in the heart of Oxford City Centre – in all weathers!

Head to our News & Events section for more detail. Or sign up to our newsletter here.

We love to welcome new businesses to our market. Traders are selected through a specific process to ensure the mix is just right. Head to our Join Us page to read all about the current types of businesses we are looking for and how to apply.

We are owned by Oxford City Council.

If you are searching for lost property, ask our friendly porters. You can easily spot them – they are dressed in Day-Glo orange high-visibility jackets.

For event hire, and permissions for commercial filming and photo shoots, please contact Oxford City Council’s Events Team events@oxford.gov.uk

Yes. We have a busking slot located outside the Market Office. Busking is permitted in the market 11am – 3pm Fridays and Saturdays. All we ask is that buskers are sensitive to shoppers and traders and that buskers adhere to the Oxford City Council code of practice. You can download this here.

Assistance dogs are allowed in the market. Please note some individual traders may not allow dogs.

Bikes are allowed to be walked in. They are not allowed to be ridden inside the market. We have an allocation of bike racks located by the Market Street entrance on Avenue 4.

If you need to make a complaint, you can do this by emailing coveredmarket@oxford.gov.uk or writing to:

The Covered Market Manager [insert details]

Please provide us with full details of your complaint, along with full contact details and preferred method of contact. We will not be able to investigate your complaint without this information.

We will confirm receipt and then aim to provide a full response within 15 working days [Sense check]. If you are unhappy with the response, your complaint will be escalated to the [insert info], who will aim to respond within [insert figure] working days. If the nature of your complaint means that these time frames cannot be met, we will keep you informed.

Smoking is not allowed inside the Covered Market.

There is no free Wi-Fi exclusive to the Covered Market at this time.  We are working on changing this