CYCLE delivery company Pedal & Post has launched a new 'local Oxford supermarket' to trasnport groceries from businesses to residents in the city.

The firm, based on the Osney Mead industrial estate, will deliver all items ‘emission free’ by cargo bikes.

Boss Chris Benton said he hoped the new strand of his business would appeal to customers as an ‘online farmers’ market’.

Oxford Mail:

The company is one of many firms which is being forced to diversify during the coronavirus lockdown, which started in March.

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Mr Benton said: “We wanted to connect local traders to residents as we have a large delivery fleet with spare capacity at present and wanted to do something to help get groceries to the community.

“We know lots of small businesses are struggling in Oxford under the virus circumstances and we also know many residents can’t get out to supermarkets still or find delivery slots available - we hope our website can help solve both problems as the lockdown is set to continue.

“You can choose produce from 12 different Oxford traders currently on the website - localoxford.co.uk - and all the groceries arrive next day all together making it a quick, easy and convenient way to not only enjoy some of the best produce Oxford has to offer and stay safe and stay home.”

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Traders include: Roots of Oxford, Natural Bread Co, Mayfield eggs, Linden chocolate, Brightwell honey, The Cotswold Curer, Ogglio, SESI, Anatolian Olive Oil, Oxford Cheese Company, Jericho Coffee Traders and Oxford Soap Company. Delivery costs £3.

Oxford Mail:

Mr Benton added: “The project has grown far beyond what we thought it might initially and we hope if it continues to grow we could keep it going medium to long term, providing better food security and resilience for Oxford. We’re continually looking for more local traders to work with so please do get in touch.”

In March Pedal & Post said the closure of Walton Street to motor vehicles last year has been a boost to business.

The firm, which delivers 12,000 items a year to the area, urged council officials to customise the barrier to help its cyclists get in and out.

In the official response to consultation the firm wrote: “The road closure has supported our local business and our ability to serve the businesses and residents in this area.

Oxford Mail:

“Previously our cargo bikes suffered delays due to gridlocked congestion by cars dominating the road space and we avoided the area at all costs as our team are paid by the hour on the living wage – every minute counts.

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“Due to parked cars there is no way to filter and it was extremely dangerous.

“The traffic lights also held us up as they weren’t synced up very well at all with long wait times.

“Now Walton Street is used as our main route from north Oxford to the train station, carrying cancer patient and IVF pathology samples twice a day.

Deliveries have become even more vital for customers during the coronavirus lockdown and Pedal & Post is not the only company which has launched a new service.

Bonners fruit and veg stall at the Covered Market has been coordinating deliveries of goods from market traders and on some days they have receiving up to 200 orders online.

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At the same time, another cycle delivery firm Oxwash, the Oxford-based high-tech laundry start-up, has started offering free washes to NHS key workers, elderly and vulnerable people in Oxford as part of its support for the local community during the COVID-19 crisis.

Oxford Mail:

It is believed that the Covid-19 virus could remain active on textiles for up to 72 hours, so ensuring sterilisation through regular washing is key, especially for those working in higher risk areas.

The washes have been made possible through a crowdfunding campaign which is aiming to raise £25,000 for 2,500 washes for NHS workers, elderly and vulnerable people. In just three weeks, it has raised over £13,000.

Oxwash is also already sterilising scrubs and equipment from GP surgeries and the Oxford coronavirus vaccine trial.

The company was founded in 2017 by former Oxford University student, Kyle Grant.

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It is being supported by the Oxford Foundry, an entrepreneurship centre at the university. It has just been awarded £1.4m seed funding from investors such as Biz Stone, co-founder of Twitter, to continue developing its idea.

The business uses electric bicycles to collect laundry from businesses and then cleans the items using ozone technology to sterilise them.

Collections and deliveries are ‘contactless’ to ensure social distancing.