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Cake shop set to open after lockdown challenge led to successful business
07/01/2022
“It is a real ‘pinch-me’ moment” says Banbury mum as her business expands taking on their first shop
A Banbury mum who found her niche thanks to a lockdown baking challenge is all set to open her first shop in Banbury. Jessica Bishop has just taken possession of the keys to the shop that will become Bishop’s Bakes at 59 Parson’s Street.
“It is a real ‘pinch-me’ moment,” Jess said. “I can’t believe at the age of 23 I have my own business. I always saw myself having a shop when the business started but I didn’t think it would come quite this soon. I’m very grateful it has. I wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for the support of my customers in Banbury who have been so loyal.”
Jess lives with her partner Adam and two girls aged 7 months and 3 years on the Cherry Fields Estate. During the first lockdown she took part in a friendship group bake-off challenge. Much to her surprise Jess’ rainbow cake won.
After seeing Jess’ creation her friends and family encouraged her to create an Instagram page. From here she started to receive small orders for brownies and millionaires shortbreads and then began creating birthday cakes for people.
Eight months later Jess quit her day job in Oxford to concentrate on her new-found baking skills full time at home.
“It was nice because it meant I could be around the girls and didn’t need childcare – it was ideal,” she said.
Her skills as a baker came as a bit of a surprise to Jess. She said: “I’m not a big dessert fan. I don’t like the taste of cake, but my mum has always been very good at baking and decorating cakes so I guess it came from there. Before I did the bake-off with my friends I was never really interested in baking at home”.
Eighteen months later and Jess decided she couldn’t continue to operate from home with the number of orders she was receiving. She said: “Having the girls at home and Adam also working from home we’re all under each other’s skin 24/7. I’ve only got a small kitchen which we’ve extended as much as we can.
“It got to the position that I was having to turn down orders because I haven’t got the space. My options were getting a unit, or a shop. I would rather have a shop so people can come in and I can see them face to face.”
The search for a shop began last July with the location at the bottom of Parson’s Street secured in the last couple of weeks. The ground floor shop will have the cake counter and a seating area, together with an innovative Instagram area which Jess will reveal when she opens. The first floor will become the kitchen where all the shop’s creations are made.
The move to the shop has created employment opportunities for other local people with roles for a full time and part time baker and full time and Saturday front-of-house opportunities currently available.
Ex-Warriner School pupil Jess says she keeps having to pinch herself when she realises what she has achieved. “I was never really an academic,” she said. “I didn’t do very well at school and I wasn’t really interested at college. This wasn’t the route I saw my life going, but I’ve found my niche and I know what I’m good at. It’s going great so I can’t complain.”
Jess is hoping to open Bishop’s Bake by mid-February.
Published: by Banbury FM Newsteam
Annette kydd On 07/01/2022 at 1:05 pm
Yummy a cake shop, and home made as well. Hope to be able to get in as in a wheelchair? Wishing you all the best, Cannock wait for opening date,