"Following Ms Rahimi’s decision not to bid to apply to hold the Christmas market, another interested party has been invited to submit an application to Oxford City Council. We are keen to ensure Oxford continues to have a thriving Christmas market, providing a great opportunity for independent businesses and bringing extra footfall into the city centre during the busy shopping season.
"It was always made clear throughout the tender process that this year the cycle lane would remain open alongside the Christmas Market, and Ms Rahimi has chosen to withdraw her bid to hold the market."
"As local residents will know, Oxford city centre is small and has lots of competing demands for the space. Oxfordshire County Council, which is responsible for road access and restrictions, and Oxford City Council, which is responsible for approving public events, work hard to find the right balance between all those demands.
"Last year, given the short lead-in time, the County Council allowed a suspension of the Broad Street cycle route - an important east-to-west route for cyclists through the city centre - for the Christmas market. But at the time they made it clear that this would be the last time this key cycle route would be suspended for the Christmas market.
"Nicole Rahimi has had more than 12 months to prepare for this change, and she submitted a proposal to the City Council that included the cycle route through the market. Subsequently, midway through the procurement process, she complained to the local media about the inclusion of the cycle route.
"Both the City and County councils had continued to engage Ms Rahimi, as she was the preferred provider, and we are keen to get moving with the planning for this year's event as soon as possible. However, now she has withdrawn from the procurement process, we will now move forward to explore alternative options for this year's market."
Councillor Susan Brown, Leader of Oxford City Council
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