A CIRENCESTER bookshop’s new café, opening on January 26, will offer shoppers the perfect spot to champion local produce.

Fresh produce from Cirencester’s Whiddetts Bakers and Homegrownbycathy, as well as Chalford’s Lavender Bakehouse are just some of the locally sourced foods on the menu at Waterstones new bookseller-run café on Cricklade Street.

Each on-site café under the bookshop giants brand label is independently run by the staff at each branch, with this latest edition no exception. The menu having been developed by the Cirencester staff, who also restored or handmade the furniture from reclaimed wood.

Vicky Sissons, of Whiddetts Bakers on Cirencester’s Dollar Street, said: “We are delighted to be part of a venture in our local community that gives us an opportunity to work with an independent coffee shop offering products from local suppliers.

“We will be supplying a range of sandwiches, home-made soups, cakes and confectionery. We have developed some interesting new vegetarian fillings for the café and hope to develop a range of gluten free options moving forward.”

The café will seat 35 inside with additional seating in an outside area.

Catherine Hampton, who runs Homegrownbycathy from her Cirencester home, said: “I started my business 14 months ago as I had a passion for growing vegetables and also cooking with them.

"I have been on the Farmer's Market for 14 months and the next step for me was to supply to more customers. Working with Waterstones offers my business an exciting opportunity to grow.”

John Weeks, bookshop manager at Waterstones Cirencester, said the development of the café has been very personal for his team of booksellers.

He said: “It’s been a joy to create our own furniture and we have taken great care with the menu – it’s a great privilege to be able to support local producers and businesses in this way.”

Customers can celebrate the opening with a free hot drink with every cake purchased from January 26 to February 5.