AN OXFORD bakery that opened a new cafe just one day before the second lockdown has scored top marks in its latest food hygiene inspection.

Barefoot Bakery owners Fraser Jones and wife Emily say they have always had five-star hygiene ratings for their cafes.

A food hygiene inspector from Oxford City Council visited the new North Parade Barefoot cafe on February 26.

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The cafe scored a hygiene rating of five meaning ‘very good’. The business was given a mark of ‘very good’ for ‘food hygiene and safety’ and ‘structural compliance’ and it was marked ‘good’ for the category of ‘confidence in management’.

The Oxfordshire bakery which is known for its cafe in Jericho opened the new premises on North Parade in October.

Barefoot , North Parade.

Barefoot , North Parade.

The Jericho cafe has been closed since March due to social distancing difficulties, but the owners plan to reopen the cafe when restrictions have eased.

The bakery has been busy making cakes for Mothers Day, delivering sweet treats, and running a takeaway service from its new cafe on North Parade.

Although business is going well, opening a cafe in the middle of a pandemic was not the couple’s original plan.

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Mr and Mrs Jones closed their Woodstock cafe earlier than expected because of the pandemic.

After closing their cafe in Woodstock, they did not have plans to open another cafe but had always loved North Parade.

The couple sold their first brownie at a market on North Parade, so when the chance to own a cafe their came along they jumped at the opportunity.

Mr Jones said: “The right unit came along, and it was the right time as we had just closed Woodstock, so it was perfect. Then we thought how ridiculous it was to open something in the middle of a pandemic.”

Scores on the doors

Scores on the doors

The North Parade bakery opened just a day before the second lockdown was announced.

Mr Jones added: “Maybe if we had known we would have been more cautious and not planned it, but it was a good thing that we just went with it.”

The bakery owners hope to have tables inside the North Parade bakery when restrictions ease and there is also the possibility of having outside seating.

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Mr Jones explained that North Parade has recently had gates installed and the area will be pedestrianised during the day allowing the bakery to have outside seating.

The possibility of a grand reopening when restrictions ease is on the horizon for the bakery. Mr Jones said if he were to do a big reopening, he would ideally tie it in with the North Parade market to reflect on where the business started.

Despite opening a new bakery in a pandemic, Barefoot business has been booming.

Mr Jones said: “It has been busy; it has been great. Our customers have supported us massively throughout lockdown, we feel very privileged to have such nice customers.”

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