A NEW artisan bakery and coffeeshop has opened in a north Hampshire village, offering customers a scrumptious selection of sourdough baked bread, pastries, cakes and buns all handmade on site.

Tim Goodwin transformed the vacant property in Old Basing, before opening The Street Bakeshop in August, bringing it back into use for villagers and those from further afield.

The father-of-two, who has been in the catering industry for 18 years running his own corporate buffet business, said: “The community has really got behind us, and it’s been busy since opening.

“I have always been passionate about baking sourdough bread and have been doing that for 20 years at home. I saw this premises was available so moved the catering business in here and started a proper artisan bakery, using methods going back to the old way of baking bread.”

All the breads baked on site have a sourdough base, which Tim believes is healthier and better for indigestion.

The 38-year-old explained: “Modern bread is often indigestible. Since World War Two lots of people have developed gluten intolerances. A lot of that is down to the manufacturing process of bread. Our bread uses a much more natural process which really benefits the flavour and is better for digestion and health. It’s the way bread has been made for thousands of years.

“We’re a small business and make everything on site. With chain bakeries products are often frozen but we only sell the bread we bake that day.”

The bakery also offers locally roasted coffee from Moonroast Coffee in Alresford, with tables outside and inside for customers to enjoy a relaxed breakfast or lunch.

The Street Bakeshop has given a boost to local employment, offering jobs to 14 people, including a full time baker to work alongside Tim.

The team make their own sausage meat on site for freshly cooked sausage rolls as well as cured and smoked meats, with slow-cooked beef brisket or belly of pork on offer each day, served with house chimichurri, house barbeque sauce and slaw on a soft Blaa roll.

Within the next few weeks Tim is hoping to open the rear of the property up for customers to watch the team baking the bread through large glass windows.

“It’s quite unusual to find a business like us that is independent,” said Tim, adding: “We really celebrate the fact we’re independent and the flexibility that gives us with the food we can create and the atmosphere. We want people to feel welcome.”

The Street Bakeshop is open from Tuesday to Saturday 8am to 4pm, and on Sundays 9am to 3pm.

For more information visit https://www.facebook.com/thestreetbakeshop/.