The Covered Market Bonners has stayed open throughout the coronavirus crisis and Mr Piggott said staff were now looking forward to non-essential shops in the historic market reopening from Monday. He added: “We’re feeling positive - we are looking forward to pubs and restaurants reopening because that will be a boost for our wholesale business. “There aren’t many tourists about in Oxford at the moment because of travel restrictions but hopefully people will come here if they are having a staycation - it’s a good opportunity this year for people to discover parts of the country they haven’t been to before.”
Ruth Dorso, owner of Jericho Cafe, Oxford. Picture by Tim Hughes So what is the attraction of the Jericho Café? “The thing that makes the café so special is that it holds a really important place in the local community,” says Ruth, a former teacher at St Alfred’s, Wantage, who has been involved in the life of the café since her Breton-born husband took over as manager in 1988, shortly after arriving from France. The couple bought the place outright in 2001. “We have seen most of the neighbourhood come through our doors at some point or other over the last 20 years,” she says.