Spuds and salads on the menu as Kettering lunch spot set to reopen

A popular Kettering butcher says he’ll be keeping things simple when he opens a jacket potato and salad bar next month.

Jamie Cooper is turning his former Little Eats cafe space in the Newlands Shopping Centre into a takeaway called Jamie’s, aiming to tempt shoppers and workers.

The 38-year-old, who also owns Jamie’s Quality Butchers in Gold Street, hopes it will open for business on September 1.

The entrepreneur said he used to sell lots of jacket potatoes when he had a cafe next to his butcher’s shop – and that since the closure of Baguettaway there are fewer places to get one at lunch.

He said: "Let’s give people what they want. We’re going to keep it simple – good food, good drinks and that’s it.

"I’m excited about this. The town needs jacket potatoes back.”

Jamie opened Little Eats in 2021 before it closed the following year because of staffing issues. Despite later reopening for a short time, it’s been shut since March.

Now he’s giving it a rebrand and starting a new venture there, which is creating ‘three or four’ new jobs.

It will have meal deals with jacket potatoes, salad boxes, lasagnes, wraps and rolls, a pie counter, tea and coffee, milkshakes and an ice cream machine.

Jamie told the Northants Telegraph he will be offering ‘99s’ for kids for £1, a 10 per cent discount for NHS staff and free cups of tea for those over 65.

He said: "It’s hard for everyone at the minute and a lot of people are struggling.

"I’m going to try and look after people.”