New cafe No. 61 in Oxford's Botley Road seeks new customers

The new eatery recently opened after the lease changed hands and is already attracting quite a few regulars.

No. 61 - named after its address - is a replacement for High Fidelity Cafe, which was open for about 18 months until owner Chris Irons moved.

Now Mr Irons’ eclectic mix of coffee, tea, toasted sandwiches, combined with old vinyl, has been given a remix.

A new owner has bought out the seven-year lease and given the interior a smart new dark blue look.

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Co-manager Annie Simm said: “The cafe has been open for a few weeks now and we are getting quite a few regulars but of course we would like more support and we want customers to keep coming back.

“Chris Irons had his own vibe with his cafe and the vinyl records but we are doing things differently and we are trying to respond to what customers want.

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“They wanted sandwiches and baps as well as snacks so that’s what we are doing with simple fillings like chicken and bacon and cheese and onion.”

Ms Simm, 21, an Oxford University graduate from Manchester, said thousands of pounds has been spent on refurbishment including painting the interior and building a new counter.

Bread is sourced from The Natural Bread Company in Woodstock while the coffee is bought from Frontline Coffee, which donates 100 per cent of its profits to charities supporting the NHS and emergency services.

As well as sandwiches, pastries, Scotch eggs and sausage rolls, the cafe also sells some deli items, including jars of pesto, olive oil, pots of porridge and bars of chocolate.

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With seating for about 20 people, No. 61 is a cosy space for people passing by.

Ms Simm added: “We are focusing on coffee, cakes and snacks and artisan products that Waitrose doesn’t sell.

“It’s a challenge sometimes to get drivers on Botley Road to stop and there is competition but we already have some regulars including people who live in the area - it’s getting quite busy at the weekend and some locals were saying they were missing a cafe.

“We need more people to come in and try us out - it could be office workers, residents or students and we need regulars to keep coming back.”

No. 61 has been adjusting its opening hours to meet the demand.

It opens Monday to Saturday 7.30am to 4pm and on Sunday from 8am to 4.30pm. Local artists can display their work on the walls.