A baker in Newstead, Brisbane, is banking on customer honesty to make a living out of his sourdough.

From Monday to Saturday, owner of Chester Street Kitchen leaves loaves of wood-fired bread inside the doors of his premises, which are currently under renovation. as for the price, it’s up to the customer to name an amount.

the “honour box” initiative has long been used by side-of-the-road fruit and vegetable stalls in regional areas. however, this is potentially the first time a Brisbane establishment has allowed fresh, high-quality baked good to be sold without someone monitoring the till.

For owner damian Griffiths – the entrepreneur also behind two trendy inner-city venues, Limes hotel and alfred and Constance – the creative initiative is a way to stand out from competition.

“the only way to compete these days, against the mass-produced products, is to go back and do something by hand,” he told the Brisbane Times.

“More and more, people want to know where their food comes from, so when they come to Chester Street, they’ll be able to see and smell exactly where their starter cultures were raised and where their bread is being baked.”

the hole-in-the-wall offering also provides a good source of income for Chester Street Kitchen while renovations continue to extend the business into a café by day and a cocktail bar by night.

Nonetheless, damian remains adamant he will continue to offer customers the wood-fired bread with the hope they will pay the business accordingly.