Oxford Dominican friars to open new cafe in former bank

Blackfriars Priory is opening a cafe called The Good Habit in St Giles, with works on the site nearing completion.

Planning permission was secured by the Roman Catholic religious order earlier this year, and the final permission to display signage and install a canopy with cafe branding on it is currently under consideration.

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Releasing an update on social media filmed at the site under construction earlier in the summer, Regent of Blackfriars Priory, Fr John O’Connor, said: “At long last we have planning permission, we have the workers on site, and things are moving really quickly with a view to an opening during the summer.

Plans for the soon-to-open Good Habit cafe and bakery (Image: PATH / The Dominican Friars)

“It’s a great project, it’s going to be a retail cafe during the day, buzzing with lots of activity, and then in the evening there’ll be opportunities for Blackfriars Hall events, events for the community, and also events for the wider public as well, in what I think is a wonderful part of Oxford that is buzzing in so many different ways.”

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The unit, at 33 St Giles, was previously a bank up until 2018, but will now be turned into a stylish cafe and events space offering billing itself as a spot for ‘coffee and bakery’ on the signage.

Manager of the new cafe, Rich Sewell, said: “I’m really looking forward to opening Good Habit this summer. I’ve been working with Blackfriars now for the last couple of years and it’s really great to see how this project has been developing.

“I’m looking forward to bringing this to Oxford, it’ll be a great cafe and a great space for everybody – the public and for Blackfriars students to enjoy.”