Unless you’re Ed Miliband, you can’t really go wrong with a bacon sarnie.

So, missing breakfast, and in need of an early morning takeaway at the start of what I knew was going to be a hectic day, I went in search of one on the way to work.

There is no shortage of decent takeaway breakfast spots in Oxford. The problem, if one is encumbered by four wheels, however, is that one can’t stop near any of them; not without doubling the cost of your snack by topping up Oxford City Council’s parking coffers that is.

Defeated, I pulled over in practically the only place in town one can stop (albeit only for 20 minutes): Oxford Railway Station.

I have a great deal of sympathy for rail commuters. Not only are they squeezed for eye-wateringly inflated fares (often without the promise of a seat), but the rinsing begins as soon as they enter the concourse, where an uninspiring cluster of franchises offer largely the same thing – undersized baguettes and pastries at incommensurately high prices.

The best deal seemed to be at the West Cornwall Pasty Co, which yesterday morning was devoid of its trademark meat-filled pastries but did have a dish of bacon and some thin Cumberland sausages.

Ordering the advertised Big Breakfast – bacon roll, two hash browns and a large coffee for under £4 – I was told by a harassed but friendly and polite gentleman, that I could only have the butty and drink due to a broken cooker. At £2.99, this didn’t seem too bad.

The coffee was okay and the sarnie looked fine too, with nicely cooked lean bacon on a good quality roll and sachets of proper HP sauce.

The only problem was, it was cold, which kind of defeats the object of a warm bap. I’m sure that once the cooker is working, commuters will be back to their piping hot breakfast rolls. Next time though, I’ll get a ham sandwich from M&S – or just get up earlier and make my own.

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