A NEW cafe bar and an electrical shop will open in Banbury in the next tean days, creating 34 new jobs.

Pinto Lounge will open next Friday, November 19, in the former Venture Photography studio in High Street.

It has undergone a £300,000 makeover and will create 20 jobs.

And Currys and PC World will open a joint store at Banbury Cross Retail Park tomorrow.

Alex Reilley, managing director of Loungers, which owns the Pinto Lounge said; “Banbury is a fantastic area with masses of potential and we feel strongly that Pinto Lounge will thrive here.”

The 25,000sq ft Currys and PC World store has created 14 jobs. Branch manager Mark Pavitt said: “The store opening is a huge boost to the local economy with 14 new jobs created.”

Banbury appears to be bucking the trend compared to shop troubles of other market towns.

River Island, H&M, British Bookshops, art supplies shop The Artery and Poundland have opened in the last 18 months.

Mayor of Banbury, Colin Clarke, who will officially open the cafe bar, said the town was benefiting from good road and rail links.

He said: “It’s nice to see a new business opening because everyone talks about the doom and gloom of the current economic situation and all the places that are closing down.

“Banbury has always been good for shopping — I’ve always considered Oxford, as a city shopping centre, to be abysmal.”