Arbequina indpendent tapas bar announces Oxford Covered Market opening

Arbequina’s in Cowley Road has attracted national and international attention since it opened in 2017.

And now directors Ben Whyles, Rufus Thurston and Ben Bateman are expanding the operation.

The eatery’s Spanish-style tapas plates will be coming to the Covered Market since planning permission was granted by Oxford City Council, allowing the company to refurb and refit former sports shop Blue Blood.

In a statement the restaurant said: “It is with unbridled joy that we can officially share our opening date in the beautiful Covered Market – Friday 24th July.

“It has been a long old journey, and still plenty to be done, but the time is right to welcome all of you lovely, patient people to come & enjoy the space.”

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The directors of tapas restaurant Arbequina will be opening a second shop in the Covered Market (Image: Madeleine Evans / Newsquest)

The trio, who also own Oli’s Thai, hope to transform the historic Covered Market “into another much talked about and visited culinary venue within the city centre.”

In their original planning statement, they said: “We have been a part of the Oxford community our whole lives.

“This is very important to all our directors; we have an intimate knowledge of how this city ticks, and in particular we know how to deal with seasonal differences through our understanding of the community and it’s aspirations.

“As such, we feel strongly that we would be a timely addition to the Covered Market as it begins its next chapter of renovations and evolution for the years to come.”