PANINIS, subs, wraps and salads are just some items on the menu at a new sandwich shop and deli that has opened in Bicester.

Chris Dunbabin, from Bicester, has welcomed customers for the first time to Sarnie 67 on Sheep Street.

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Providing a range of seven types of bread and a host of freshly made fillings, the shop allows people to build their own sandwiches and salad bowls.

Mr Dunbabin says business has been going well so far and is excited to serve the people of Bicester.

He said: “Everyone seems to absolutely love the food, we get some really good feedback and social media seems to help. We think we’re in a great location in Bicester because there’s a lot of development on this end.”

Mr Dunbabin decided to open the shop after he realised he couldn’t spend enough quality time with his children working as a car salesman in Reading.

So he quit his job and pursued his passion for food, building on the experience he already had gained when he was younger.

Mr Dunbabin had the opportunity to cook and serve food from a pub kitchen he rented at a pub in Bicester last year and managed to build up a good reputation.

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But shortly after, he had to stop when Covid hit.

He then decided to get some skills by signing up for a course at the White Pepper Chef Academy in Dorset which he completed just a few weeks ago and although he said it was an amazing experience, it was a tough ride.

He added: “It was a hard experience because I was away from my kids - it was really difficult. I ended up working three different jobs. I worked 50 hours a week over and above the course which was 9am-4pm to be able to fund it so it was a real scrape, but I got through it.”

Together with his business partner Neal Chedzey, Mr Dunbabin then opened Sarnie 67.

He said: “I always thought Bicester needed some kind of salad bar because I think they’re great. For me personally I love salads and I love putting different things in and things you wouldn’t normally have at home.”

He also offers deli items such as homemade potato salads, coleslaw and olives as well as locally roasted coffee and cake.

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‘Beef Bad Boys’ is the most popular sandwich and the chef hopes to add more food to the menu to keep it varied.

Mr Dunbabin and his staff do not wear gloves when they prepare food, but he stressed that they wash their hands every time they serve a customer.

He said having to change gloves every time he makes a sandwich would not be environmentally friendly.

He said: "The only thing that isn’t cardbard or paper are the salad boxes – they’re plastic - because the dressing would just make it go funny, but other than that everything else is environmentally as friendly as we can get.

"But if we were changing gloves every time we make 100 sandwiches a day it’s kinda contradicting what our beliefs are."

The shop is open from 7.30am to 4pm Monday to Saturday.

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