Snack bar to leave town after 35 years

Gemma Daniels and Sally Newport at Sal's Snack Bar

The owner of a snack bar closing its doors after more than 35 years has said she is "gutted" she will no longer see her regular customers.

Sal's Snack Bar, in Market Place, Didcot, is set to shut permanently at the end of August due to rising costs and dwindling customers.

Owner Sally Newport said the increased cost of living had had a significant impact on the café's trade.

Many people in the town have taken to social media to express their disappointment at the planned closure.

Ms Newport said: "It's because of the cost of living… Fewer people are coming in. Gas has gone up. So have electric, rent, council tax and broadband. Nobody's got any spare money every month.

"I'm gutted. We have regulars who come in every day but we're not going to see them anymore because we're going to have to find other jobs."

Asked what she would do next, Ms Newport said: "I haven't got a clue".

In a statement issued by the snack bar's official Facebook page, customers were thanked for their support over the years.

It read: "To our customers, thank you from the bottom of our hearts for your support, trust, and love over the years. You've been more than just customers; you've become part of our family."

In the responses, people from the town described the café as an "important part of Didcot" that would be missed.

The business was previously known as Keskin's Snack Bar and was owned by Hakan Keskin, who took over Bilko's Burger Bar in 1989 and renamed it after himself.

Ms Newport, who has worked at the snack bar for a total of 25 years, took over in 2013.