A COMMUNITY cafe is just weeks away from throwing open its doors, according to its newly-appointed manager.

Former drugs worker Anthony Armitage, who began his new job last week, is busy putting the finishing touches to the Barton Community Cafe.

Mr Armitage is ordering new furniture, getting in touch with suppliers, canvassing opinion on the decor and organising a competition to name the new cafe, at the estate's neighbourhood centre, in Underhill Circus.

He said he was excited to be involved in the £138,000 project and hopes the cafe will become an important community hub.

Mr Armitage said: "It's a very exciting position to be in, because there's so much scope and opportunity and potential for the cafe.

"It's very positive, very exciting and I think it will bring the community together.

"It's a kind of missing link within Barton. It just does not have this community hub or focus."

Mr Armitage, who has worked on the estate for two years, said he was keen to use as much local food as possible in the cafe.

He also appealed for volunteers to start working at the cafe next month, with the opportunity of earning a qualification in food hygiene.

Builders are renovating the centre's kitchen, to turn it into a professional set-up, capable of feeding up to 50 people at a time.

And the centre will also be getting £15,000 of new flooring and a partition in the main hall.

Community leaders have so far secured about £138,000 to get the project off the ground - but hope that the cafe will be self-funding in the long term.

They said the cafe, which residents have campaigned for since 2003, would provide a valuable meeting place and help train people to work in the catering industry.

A catering business will be run alongside the cafe, which will initially be open five days a week, selling food to local businesses and for events.

Anyone interested in volunteering at the cafe should call Mr Armitage on 01865 761987.

People wanting to enter the competition to name the cafe should put their suggestions in ballot boxes at the estate's swimming pool and at the shops in Underhill Circus before Monday.