SHOPS are "hedging their bets" over moving to Oxford while the new Westgate Shopping Centre is built sparking fears the city could be littered with empty units.

The warning comes as the long-vacant HMV unit in Cornmarket looks set to become a restaurant because of "no meaningful interest" from shops in almost two years, with fast food chain Leon finally taking it on.

Marketing firm MMX blamed the imminent redevelopment of the Westgate Shopping Centre for the HMV unit being empty since 2013.

And concerns have now been raised that retailers, eager for a place in the new centre, will not come forward to take on the growing number of empty units in the city in the meantime.

Graham Jones, of traders group ROX, said it was a concern but hoped the empty shops would eventually be filled once the uncertainty subsided.

He said: "We are very conscious of it and it seems that retailers are hedging their bets when it comes to the Westgate Shopping Centre and this is highlighted by the HMV unit.

"It's a concern because we are always told that there is a long list of retailers wanting to come to Oxford but that doesn't seem to be the case."

The city council's policy by which at least 50 per cent of its units in the city must be retail only applies secondary shopping streets and does not include Cornmarket Street.

But Mr Jones said the balance between retail and restaurants across the city was close to tipping over.

He said: "There is also feeling that perhaps there are enough restaurants and cafes in the city at the moment – maybe we have reached the limit for them all to be viable.

He added: "We have to make sure people don't just use the Westgate but go further afield as well – The Covered Market for example is unique to Oxford and we need to keep people using our small businesses."

The HMV site was eventually split in two and the other one is still on the market, as well as the former Three mobile phone shop next door and Austin Reed, which closed down in June.

The former Jeans West shop in Queen Street is also empty at the moment along with several units in The Covered Market and in Little Clarendon Street.

Next, Boots, River Island and Schuh have all been confirmed in the new £440m centre with only Schuh confirming they will keep their Oxford store open - leaving uncertainty over the make-up of the city centre.

Michael Keirs, who has run second hand bookshop Arcadia in the city for more than 40 years, said: "I doubt very much that the Westgate centre will somehow save everything in Oxford.

"It's difficult for businesses in the city, with high rents and also infrastructure problems making it hard for shoppers to get in.

BLOB Music chain Fopp will open today in Gloucester Green after a eight-year hiatus from the city.

The store will sell a wide range of vinyl, CDs, DVDs, T-shirts and merchandise.