Seventh Heaven for Banbury’s cycling community

A cycling themed cafe has opened in Adderbury which promises to be a honey pot for two wheeled enthusiasts for miles around.
Carmen Hancock and Jon Parker of 7th Heaven Cafe NNL-191103-152510001Carmen Hancock and Jon Parker of 7th Heaven Cafe NNL-191103-152510001
Carmen Hancock and Jon Parker of 7th Heaven Cafe NNL-191103-152510001

The cafe, called 7th Heaven, is located in the former Banbury Golf Club club house on the Anyho Road and has been opened by Jon Parker and Carmen Hancock who felt Banbury needed a cycling cafe.

Jon said: “We are both keen cyclists and have been cycling for a number of years. We have done a lot of cafes around the world and just thought it would be great to put a proper cycling themed cafe together.”

Carmen Hancock and Jon Parker of 7th  Heaven Cafe with their Mach 7 range of bikes NNL-191103-162732001Carmen Hancock and Jon Parker of 7th  Heaven Cafe with their Mach 7 range of bikes NNL-191103-162732001
Carmen Hancock and Jon Parker of 7th Heaven Cafe with their Mach 7 range of bikes NNL-191103-162732001

Carmen added: “I’ve always had a passion for baking as well. My two passions are cycling and baking so it made sense to have a cycling cafe.”

The cafe, which is open to all, will televise cycling events and sell themed food during each race.

Carmen said: “When the tour is on we will be serving French food, when it’s the Giro it will be Italian.”

There is a healthy passion for cycling across Banburyshire but Carmen and Jon hope the concept of the cafe will attract cyclists from further afield.

Jon said: “It’s unique full-stop really. There are a few bike shops that have a little cafe in them with two or three tables for customers. There’s a couple of themed cycling cafes in the country, but this is a proper cafe, with food. It has a look and a feel that is different to other places.

Jon added: “We have had a lot of support from clubs. Clubs will ride up to 70 miles on a club ride, so if you take the cafe as the half way point, 35 miles, within a 35 mile radius of here there are 92 British Cycling affiliated clubs.”

The cafe will also act as headquarters and showroom for the pairs own bike brand, Mach 7, which they set up 18 months ago.

The four carbon fibre race models proudly adorn the entrance hall and potential bike customers can get a take a test ride before the buy.

Carmen said: “We took about a year to develop them. They’re painted in Brackley, we tried to keep things as local as we can. All our ingredients are locally sourced too.”

7th Heaven also boasts a bike servicing centre, an exercise room which will offer yoga and constant watt bike training and will be the starting point for social Sunday ride outs.

For more info visit www.7thheavencyclecafe.com