A BAKERY is hoping to rise to the occasion after finding enough dough for a shop in Oxford’s Covered Market.

Barefoot Kitchen has been able to open a temporary store in the market after reaching a deal between Oxford City Council and the previous occupant of the unit.

And the bakery has managed to find somewhere which is cheaper than being on a conventional retail street while it seeks a permanent home.

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Owner Emily Jones said: “I do a market in North Parade every fortnight and I have had so many people asking me where they can buy my brownies and I thought the best place to open would be the Covered Market. I thought it would fit my product well.

“It is a very small unit and the rent is quite reasonable.

“I would like a permanent unit but I will dip my toe in the water and see how many people want my product. Wednesday was my first day and it was great, and today we sold out.

“The market manager is very helpful and cannot do enough for me.”

Barefoot Kitchen has been in existence for just over a year and has been trading from North Parade market every fortnight.

The business already supplies Turl Street Kitchen, Quarter Horse Coffee and Zappi’s Bike Cafe.

Its new home has opened in the Covered Market unit which used to be occupied by sushi bar Sooshe.

There have been concerns that the city council’s rent demands – which are being negotiated at the moment – have caused independent traders to shy away from opening in the market.

Originally the city council had asked for rents increases of up to 75 per cent but it has since said it wants to improve the market and has been negotiating with traders over a possible 16 per cent increase.

Labour city councillor Mary Clarkson, the council’s champion for the Covered Market, said: “The bakery is doing very well at the moment.

“We don’t generally allow people to move into empty units on a temporary basis but this worked for everyone.

“We are trying to be a bit more flexible as a landlord and help businesses whose vision fits with what we are trying to do with the market.”

Barefoot Kitchen would not reveal how much rent it had agreed to pay.

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