Restaurants cook up takeaway dishes for customers during coronavirus lockdown

While all restaurants, pubs and cafes have been deemed non-essential by the government and closed in a bid to avoid the spread of the virus, some businesses are still employing staff to prepare takeaways, often linking up with the Deliveroo app.

Others, however, including La Cucina Italian restaurant in St Clement’s, have taken the decision to shut completely for the time being.

One of Cowley Road’s best-loved curry houses, Majliss, which serves Indian and Bengali cuisine, is reminding customers that it is still preparing takeways.

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Its website says: “We are still open for takeaways and deliveries.

“The last delivery is at 9.30pm. There is a 10 per cent discount for collection and it’s free home delivery.

“It’s 25 per cent off for NHS staff.”

In 2017 chef Loylu Miah won the International Indian Chef of the Year title for Oxfordshire.

For Mr Miah and his three brothers, the award was the culmination of four decades of serving up Indian food around Oxford.

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Their father, who arrived in the UK from Bangladesh in 1972, opened the Moon Light restaurant in Cowley Road the following year.

The business grew and moved to Kidlington High Street, where it became Tiffins Tandoori in 1992.

That restaurant became so popular that in 2002, following a makeover, billionaire and then-Kidlington resident Richard Branson officially reopened it.

Mr Miah started managing his own restaurant, Majliss, and it has consistently won high praise, including from the Oxford Mail.

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Speaking at the time he said: “I am very, very proud – it has taken me 30 years to achieve this award so I am delighted.”

Now he is determined to do everything he can to keep serving his customers throughout the lockdown.

Hugomango's Thai restaurant in Ock Street in Abingdon is another restaurant trying to keep its loyal followers happy.

It is open between 5pm and 9pm every day and is only taking online orders at hugomangos.co.uk.

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Takeaway dishes include vegetable spring rolls, prawn blankets, Dim Sum (prawn), Thai fish cakes, Chicken Satay and Moo Ping (pork).

Some pubs are also offering a takeaway service including The Merry Miller in Cothill, near Abingdon.

Its delivery service is available Tuesday to Saturday from 5pm to 8pm, and on Sunday from noon until 6.30pm, with pick-up slots given to ensure social distancing.

Owner Jackie King said: “If we have three or four orders across Abingdon then we don’t charge for delivery - otherwise it’s a minimum £2 charge.

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“We are doing pizzas, burgers, and vegetarian and vegan options and people are really appreciating what we do - it’s a way of helping people who are isolated or who don’t have a car.”