After spending 15 years in the IT industry, Jasper decided to make the transition to the food and drink industry. Impressed by O'Briens offering Jasper decided to invest. He says: "I discovered O'Briens on the internet, which is a brand that has not had much exposure in the North West of England yet.

"When I carried out research, I really liked the quality and variety of the offer, not least of all the catering service that takes the brand beyond the shop and creates even greater opportunities for me to expand the business in Carlisle and across Cumbria. "The Lanes Shopping Centre offers me a great, busy location for my first cafÉ and a great base to start my catering business. It was found for me by the master franchise team for O'Briens in Scotland who are also development agents in the north of England - just one of the many reasons why franchising is a great way to go as a first entry into running your own business. I'm looking forward enormously to helping develop and expand the O'Briens brand and my business here."