New sandwich and snack bar to open in Burgess Hill: owner is passionate about traditional high street shops

Brunchies on Church Street is set to officially open its doors on Tuesday, October 1.

The traditional snack shop will offer sandwiches, paninis, jacket potatoes, soup, lasagnas, chili con carne, cakes, cream teas and other favourites.

Owner Jez Dutfield, 50, of Gossops Green, Crawley, runs a catering business with his wife.

He said: “The reason we chose Burgess Hill is because of the (former) shop, Wood and Sons. I loved the shop and its history and I loved the fabrication of the shop, I loved the build of the shop and I didn’t really want to change anything about that. It was a 125-year-old business and it was just gorgeous.”

The couple are proud of what they have achieved in such a small space of time and cannot wait to open the doors to the public.

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Jez said he is also passionate about the ‘old school high street’ and its shops and is sad so much of it is closing. He said: “I started off in a high street shop in Reigate, which is where I met my wife. I had a little cafe.”

He said Brunchies would offer affordable homemade lunches, adding: “We’re keeping our prices low and, with that in mind, people could come to us two or three times a week.”

Jez said he and his wife Maxine have owned an outside catering business and corporate hospitality business for about 25 years. For the past 15 years they ran a business out of the training headquarters of Surrey Fire and Rescue Service in Reigate, doing the catering for the training. Their parent catering company is called Fresh Start, which serves Christenings, funerals, office catering, parties and celebrations. This is the company that is opening Brunchies. Visit www.freshstartcateringservices.co.uk to find out more.

Jez said he is looking forward to being behind the counter of the new shop and looking after the people who come in. He said: “I love making nice food. I’ve been a chef all my life and I think it’s an amazing skill that you can take three or four things, put it together and make something yummy and make someone smile. I think it’s a great thing.”