THE Food Gallery is expanding with a new takeaway shop in Marlborough High Street.

The independent family-run business, owned by Bob and Nikki Holman, has been in the town for the past ten years and is now branching out to serve food on the go.

The shop is going to be called The Food Gallery Express and situated near Waitrose at the former Marlborough Tiles premises, which has relocated to their factory showroom in Elcot Lane.

Mr and Mrs Holman’s daughter Kat Holman, 26, has also traded her career in childcare to join the business full-time and will be running the shop, which opens its doors on Monday, September 21.

While the popular Food Gallery run by Miss Holman’s older brother Richard, located at the other end of the High Street, serves a variety of dishes from artisan sandwiches to deserts, The Food Gallery Express is aimed at hungry workers, commuters and people with limited time at lunch.

It will be open Monday to Friday from 7am to 3pm and on Saturdays 8am to 3pm. On the menu will be Paul’s Pies, scotch eggs, Food Gallery Flatties, salad and soup to name a few, along with frozen yoghurt, smoothies and hot drinks.

Mr Holman said: “We have an entire half of town that we cannot reach because they cannot get down here fast enough for their lunch break, so we thought why not go to them?

“Also, I have always been keen to get very good food but for takeaway. Takeaway food is normally pretty poor, so I though let’s establish and develop what we do here, which is great food but do it on the go.”

The family picked up the keys to the new premises on Tuesday and announced the news this week, which has been met with delight from members of the community.

“It has been brilliant,” Miss Holman said. “I have been quite nervous about it because I have worked in childcare for my whole career, so it is strange going from that to food but everyone has been so supportive.

“I am really excited to start something new and I have my family behind me supporting me.”

The inside of the new shop is also a secret and newspapers have been put on the windows while Miss Holman’s other brother Andrew, who is qualified carpenter, gets to work in decorating inside.

Mr Holman added: “It is really nice, even though I am saying it myself, for an independent company to grow. It is easy for the chains, they can do it at the drop of a hat but it is really hard work for us, but we will have a lot of fun.”