BLUR bassist Alex James has swapped Britpop for cheese and cider production.

The 52-year-old, who also played with Fat Les during his heyday in the 90s, has launched the new Britpop cider through Your Co-op Food Market stores and came to Chipping Norton to play his part in live cooking demonstrations.

He said: “For centuries the French have been very clever at shouting about all the things they can do with grapes, whereas Britain has apples and we don’t prize them enough. We grow hundreds of traditional British varieties here on the farm and have been experimenting with different cider recipes for years.

“We launched Britpop last month at The Big Feastival and had such an amazing reception with the cider becoming the festival’s bestselling drink. It’s great to be able to finally launch it in Your Co-op Food Market stores as part of its Best of Our Counties range to really help hammer home how high-quality the produce grown in Britain really is.”

Rupert Newman, chief food retail officer at Midcounties Co-operative, said: “We’re so pleased to welcome Alex James’ Britpop cider to our Best of Our Counties range.

“Working with local suppliers and showcasing the best of local food is so important to us. Customers know they can rely on us to provide high-quality, fresh and seasonal produce, and that by shopping with us they’re helping to support local suppliers and communities, which also helps to reduce food miles and protect the environment.”