15211/2GAZETTE & HERALD: A CHIPPENHAM couple with no knowledge of the business world have decided to make a dream come true by opening the town's first delicatessen.

Graham and Jo Redfern, of Lowden Avenue, hope La Cucina will be up and running in Market Place by mid February.

The couple, who have three children, are anxiously waiting for the lease to be signed on the T4 Cameras building before starting the revamp.

The venture comes at a life-changing time for 43-year-old Graham, who was made redundant by Orange last year.

"I've always worked in an office or factory environment," he said. "We've been mulling this over for the past ten years and thought now's as good a time as any.

"We both like good food so the whole thing sparked itself really."

Graham, who lived in Italy 15 years ago, said he hoped the Mediterranean-influenced deli would help people get over their fear of certain foods.

"There is so much good food that we are frightened of," he said. "We will be selling meats, cheeses, salads, olives and making sandwiches, but we want to do lots of sampling and give people ideas of how to cook the ingredients.

"What we are trying to do is show people that good food doesn't have to cost a fortune and is easy to use. Exotic meats shouldn't just mean cold salamis."