Last updated 13:36, Thursday, 25 September 2008

A FULLY licensed coffee shop within Robb’s department store in Hexham was officially opened last week after overcoming months of delays on securing an alcohol licence.

Deli delights: Oliver Ojikuto has opened up a new cafe next to the food hall at Robb’s in Hexham.

Ollie’s Cafe, a 30-seat eatery with a Mediterranean influence, is the latest addition to Robb’s thanks to the occupant of the store’s delicatessen who has been planning the venture for over a year.

Oliver Ojikutu established his business Delikatesn in Edinburgh over five years ago. And after expanding to take over the spot formerly occupied by Corbridge Larder within Robb’s last summer, he was ready to go with his next move, the cafe.

Hold-ups in securing the necessary alcohol licence which would allow Oliver to combine the coffee shop with elements of his delicatessen business and his Prudhoe-based wine importing business, Spanish Spirit, meant more than 12 months of waiting.

However, Oliver remains confident that customers will feel the new venture has been worth the wait and claims the establishment will serve the best coffee in Tynedale.

He explained: “We’re all about healthy eating and we don’t do chips. We focus on using the same local produce in the cafe that we offer for sale in the deli, and have taken on two extra full-time staff as well as a number of seasonal workers.”

Oliver, who lives in Heddon, first became interested in a career in the food and drink industry when he discovered the quality of wines produced in Spain.

He quickly began importing some of his favourites from Spain’s Ribera del Duero region, just north of Madrid, and established Spanish Spirit at Earls Court, Low Prudhoe.

His latest venture will serve hot and cold food, coffees and fine wine, whilst maintaining the delicatessen which stocks fresh local produce from such well-known suppliers as Moorhouse Farm at Matfen, the Northumberland Cheese Company and Border Home Bakery.

The coffee shop has an adventurous, Spanish influenced menu, which includes serrano ham and Spanish tortilla, alongside the usual quiches and salad boxes to eat in or take away.

Oliver added: “I was supplying Robb’s with wine from Spanish Spirit when I heard that a new delicatessen was needed. And from there the idea to combine it with the new cafe followed.”

Ollie’s Cafe and Delikatesn are located just off the food hall within Robb’s and are open the same hours as the store.