A NEW business that combines coffee and art goes together as well as oil and vinegar. Margaret Scott and her husband, John, owned a gallery that sold homemade food and drink near Hexham, Northumberland.

‘We specialised in Victorian art and used to do restorations. It was very popular and lots of customers and artists came long distances to enjoy the food as much as the gallery.’

However, when the couple and their family moved to Guernsey around six years ago, Margaret thought that the food and art business was over.

‘John’s something of an expert on franchising and after a while he was advising people about that.’

Ann Summers and the Helen O’Grady children’s dance and drama academy were started with his help.

‘He gives a lot of business advice and we were in China advising TNT about developing there when we met the Dutch owners of the Oil and Vinegar franchise.’

Two things came from that visit to China. Margaret brought back examples of Chinese art, including the pieces that are in the Smith Street cafe that opened last month.

‘And we decided to join the Oil and Vinegar franchise.’

They are responsible for the south-east of England including advising potential partners on the best location as well as staff training.

What was St James Gallery and before that the Guernsey Gas showroom has been altered sympathetically so that it is an Oil and Vinegar outlet in one half and an art cafe in the other.

‘We worked closely with the former Heritage Committee and a lot of the features, such as the wooden floor, are part of the original building. Behind the shop and cafe, the offices resemble an invasion operations room.’

There are maps of Southern England with different-coloured pins for where Oil and Vinegar outlets are open.

On the floor are about 100 envelopes filled with details of the franchises.

‘A couple of days-worth of inquiries,’ she said. ‘We’d expect to get one definite franchisee from them.’

There is an almost empty storeroom.

‘Since we opened, we’ve been incredibly busy, new stock’s on its way from the Netherlands.

There is also a training office for new franchisees.

It’s all very new but the back office seems as calm as the shop and cafe.

‘They are separate but until there’s an entrance directly into the cafe, they look joined,’ said Margaret.

‘At the moment the paintings and works have come from around the world, but there will be local arts and crafts.

‘There’s work from artists in the UK, some of whom I know from Hexham, as well as Italy, Spain and South America. I love the Chinese shadowboxes and brought a few back.

‘I’ve been contacted by Guernsey artists and I’m seeing them already.

‘The space is very flexible and we’ll be able to hold exhibitions. If we get a licence for the cafe, we’ll be able to have proper launches for them.’

She said that she had searched the world for the best coffees but her cakes and pastries came from nearer to home. ‘We’ve got local ladies making the cakes and pastries,’ she said.