SHOPPING is set to get a boost in Bicester as a new bakery will soon throw open its doors in the town centre.

Cornwall-based Warrens Bakery will open its branch for the first time on Wednesday morning.

It comes as a boost for the town, which has suffered a number of businesses closing in the past year and has many empty shop units

The new shop will open up in Crown Walk in partnership with local businessman Robert Crompton.

Warrens Bakery marketing manager, Rachel Little, said: “We are delighted to be opening our 15th franchise store, this time in the thriving market town of Bicester.

“As the ‘oldest bakery in Cornwall’ and the ‘oldest Cornish pasty maker in the world’, we look forward to welcoming residents with our range of sweet and savoury pastries, artisan breads and cakes, not forgetting our iconic hand-crimped and freshly baked Cornish pasties.

“Launching in spring, our Bicester store shall begin with the addition of products inspired from Around the World, offering customers the chance to try exclusive pasty flavours each for two weeks only throughout the season as well as a new mouth-watering range of delectable cakes and other sweet treats.”

The company – which prides itself on being an artisan craft bakery – said that the inspiration behind the Bicester move was down to the draw of a ‘thriving, strong market town’ which is rapidly growing.

The new bakery is expected to also include a place to sit and try their offerings, along with wi-fi, music and a comfortable seating area.

Ms Little added: “Priding ourselves on innovation, we always look to please our customers with new additions to the usual flavourful favourites.

“Our plans to open up to 300 new stores over the next five years makes Bicester a great addition to the brand and we look forward to opening its doors on Wednesday, March 28.”

The opening follows a push from town councillors and local businesses to get more traders into the town and boost footfall.

Over the past year there a number of shops have closed their doors on Bicester's main shopping streets.

Many residents and traders have blamed the problems on online shopping, plus high rents for units in the town centre.

Among the businesses which have been forced to close over the past year in Bicester are J and K Tackle fishing equipment, Edinburgh Woollen Mill and Henry’s men’s clothing ,all formerly of Sheep Street.

The new bakery tweeted last week: ‘Residents of Bicester – handcrafted lunches from your dreams are on their way.”

It also posted online that - as one of the UK’s top three craft bakeries and world’s oldest pasty maker – it will be offering up artisan, handcrafted bread for sandwiches and also selling pasties and sweet treats all from the Bicester shop.

The bakery business has been around for more than 150 years.

Its status as the oldest Cornish pasty maker in the world went some way towards helping it bag an award at the British Pie Awards 2016 and World Pasty Championships. It was also a finality in the 2017 Craft Business Award in the Baking Industry Awards.

There will be an official ribbon cutting ceremony to open the new Bicester bakery on Wednesday at 10am.