OXFORD’S first bike shop cafe is already proving a magnet for hungry cyclists, according to owner Stuart Meanwell.

He has moved his shop Bike Zone from Market Street to the former workshop of Maltby’s bookbinders in St Michael's Street, creating space for Zappi’s cafe.

Former Italian racing cyclist Flavio Zappi has lent his name – and his Giro d’Italia jerseys – to the cafe, which is run by Dan Williams and Dan Roiser, former managers at Oxford ice cream cafe chain G&D’s.

Mr Meanwell said the Zappi Cycling Club members meet in the cafe before and after rides – but they have to go easy on the homemade cake!.

He said: “We have some scales here, and they have to keep their weight down.”

The new shop, opened by Lord Mayor Elise Benjamin – is the fulfilment of a 25-year dream of Mr Meanwell, who also runs Summertown Cycles.

He has spent two years and £250,000 refurbishing the shop, which is built into the medieval city walls.

He said: “When we saw the curved staircase and realised it couldn't be altered, we walked away, but then someone had the idea of putting a ramp at the side.”

Despite delays, death watch beetle and masonry bees, he believes his investment will eventually pay off.

“Turnover is already up and we are starting to sell bikes. When the economy calms down I would think it will be fine, but we might have a difficult one or two years.

“It is not an easy time to make the move, but I have been looking for bigger city centre premises for 25 years. The Market Street shop was very squashed.”

Mr Meanwell was a co-founder of Beeline Bicycles in Cowley Road in the 1980s with the late Clive Tulip and later took over the former Broadribbs cycle shop in Market Street, renaming it Bike Zone.

Broadribbs owner Ken Lansbury, 90, who lives in Abingdon, was was an honoured guest at the opening ceremony.

Maltby’s, which bound the theses of thousands of Oxford University postgraduates, has moved to Horspath Trading Estate in Cowley.