The craft bakery sector is busy as ever with new shops unveiled by businesses all across the country.
There’s also been some significant revamping of existing sites – which is why they’ve made the list this time – joining the estate expansions and first-time forays into brick-and-mortar retail. These span England’s northeast, northwest, south, East Midlands, and West Midlands regions, as well as a up in Scotland.
Check out more details on each of the new outlets from 10 different bakery firms in our 18th edition of the Opening Doors series:
Birds Bakery, West Bridgford
Not an opening of doors but a reopening by East Midlands chain Birds Bakery, which has completed an extensive refurbishment of its site in the Nottingham area of West Bridgford.
This features the firm’s latest branding (debuted last year) with a colour scheme of spring green, warm grey, and doughnut pink. There’s seating for 28 available inside, with daisy-shaped lighting adding a playful touch, while a bespoke concrete bench and a couple of small tables create al fresco drinking and dining opportunities.
In addition to Birds’ core range of flaky pastries, warm breads, and sweet treats, the updated store is serving new lunch options including a Chicken Mayo & Bacon Sandwich on Chia Bread and an All Day Breakfast Filled Roll.
Botham’s of Whitby’s, Whitby
The 160-year-old family-run bakery business has unveiled a new tea room in North Yorkshire, an extension to its out-of-town retail shop on Enterprise Way. Serving starts at 8:30am for a morning coffee break, and runs through brunch, lunch and afternoon tea dayparts.
The interior design is described as ‘1865 nostalgia meets modern-day chic’, with elegant lounge seating for 72 customers including window booths with views out towards Hawsker fields.
Signature items on its menu include Whitby Lemon Buns, Yorkshire Brack, Plum Bread, Shah Ginger Biscuits and Chocolate Japonaise. Botham’s operates two other shops in Whitby, on Skinner Street and Baxtergate Street (with a tea room), as well as retail sites in Sleights and Pickering (also with a tea room).
Forno, London
The Italian bakery brand, which opened its first site in Hackney in 2023, has unveiled a second branch in Leytonstone, northeast London.
The new shop on Church Lane is offering the same range of sweet and savoury pastries and Italian breads as in Hackney, such as Maritozzi (cream buns), Torta Caprese, Veneziana Buns, and Rosemary Focaccia. Latest launches include the Burnt Honey, Peach & Thyme Bun, while new weekend specials are regularly introduced like the Strawberry & Elderflower Tart and Lemon Verbena Custard & Sicilian Mulberry Jam Tart.
Knead Bakery, Tewkesbury
As the latest step in its ambitious retail expansion journey, Knead Bakery has launched a new unit at the brand-new Cotswolds Designer Outlet in Tewkesbury.
The 1,183 sq ft space will offer shoppers a range of handmade pastries such as a Pecan & Maple Danish, pain au chocolat, croissant, and sausage rolls as well as artisan breads like Sea Salt & Rosemary Focaccia or sourdough and desserts including Lemon Meringue Pie. These can be enjoyed on-site or for takeaway, accompanied by specialty coffee from Bristol-based Extract Coffee Roasters.
“This is a new type of location for us, and an exciting opportunity to bring the Knead experience to a broader audience in a high-footfall setting,” commented co-founders Kris Biggs and John Hawes.
Lannan Pantry, Edinburgh
Having previously expanded into the lower ground floor to allow the production team to work away from social media paparazzi, the artisan bakery business is moving sideways to open an adjacent retail and events space, dubbed Lannan Pantry, this autumn.
Accessible by its own entrance on Hamilton Place in the Stockbridge area of Edinburgh, it is a one-stop-shop for seasonal produce – all of which is to be used up in menu items at the bakery, thus eliminating any waste. The offering is to change regularly to reflect the ingredients used by Lannan’s bakers, from forced Yorkshire rhubarb early in the year, to Scottish asparagus come spring.
While the pantry wont stock pastries and cakes, leaving those for the original counter next door, it will operate as the collection point for bakery pre-orders. Lannan had some well publicised issues with its streetside queues, which were causing disruption to local residents.
Interior design takes inspiration from Lannan founder Darcie Maher’s travels in France, featuring bespoke joinery and reclaimed French floor tiles with a large farmhouse table providing a centrepiece to the room and to showcase produce. The space is to host events too such as live demonstrations and workshops from guest chefs.
Ruff Puff Bakehouse, Mawdesley
John Whaite, winner of The Great British Bake Off in 2012, has made his first venture into brick-and-mortar retail off the back of his successful e-commerce brownie business.
The new Ruff Puff Bakehouse is located at Cedar Farm shopping village near Mawdesley in Lancashire. Signature brownies and blondies are still part of the offer, but there are also sweet treats too fragile to deliver by post such as laminated pastries, Basque cheesecakes, choux buns, carrot cake slices, lemon meringue pies, pumpkin bundts, and macaroons.
One of the highlighted products was the Queen Bee Croissant filled with honey whipped ganache and striped with a black sticky glaze and finished with a piece honeycomb.
Sourdough Sophia, London
Hot on the heels of a new opening in Highgate, craft bakery brand Sourdough Sophia has continued its march across the capital with a fifth shop in Hampstead.
Located in the former Redemption Roasters site at Perrin’s Court, the new space is the firm’s biggest for seating with a communal dining area plus individual tables spread both inside and outside, including in front and out the back in the alleyway.
The signature line-up of hand-laminated pastries and sourdough loaves are being sold in Hampstead, including the likes of Passionfruit Bows, Spinach Feta Swirls, and Chocolate Babka.
The Bakewell Tart Shop, Bakewell
Another renovation, this time for a 100-year-old shop and café in Derbyshire, has helped create a brighter, more modern layout featuring a single service counter, updated flooring, refurbished toilets, and upgraded electrics. All are designed to offer a more welcoming and efficient experience for customers, noted the company.
“This transformation is about taking The Bakewell Tart Shop into the future,” commented owner Duncan Kirk, who previously discussed the evolution of the business since he bought it five years ago. “This is just the beginning – we’re excited about expanding the model throughout the Peak District,” he added.
Also what’s new in the shop is a three-metre-wide world map for international visitors to place a pin from their home country, while eco-friendly paper takeaway cups have been introduced. All the traditional cakes and Bakewell tarts remain on the menu, with new additions including sandwiches, salad bowls, and specialty teas. Meanwhile, a digital solution in partnership with Curated Menu Software Ltd helps cater for those with allergies or special dietary requirements.
The Newport Bakery, Broughty Ferry
A fourth site for the Tayside artisan bakery firm has been unveiled in Broughty Ferry.
The business was founded by chef Jamie Scott – who won MasterChef: The Professionals in 2014 – first as a pop-up bakery shop running out of his restaurant, The Newport, in 2020. A permanent location was then established just down the road in Newport-on-Tay before more stores were opened in Dundee and Arbroath.
The Newport Bakery specialises in sourdoughs and laminated pastries, with bestsellers being their country sourdough, almond croissants, and Carmelia brownies – a triple chocolate brownie topped with caramel chocolate ganache and a white chocolate disc.
Weekend specials feature local and seasonal ingredients, while it also has a deli in Dundee that makes a range of sandwiches on its rapeseed oil focaccia.
The company has a keen eye on sustainability, with unsold bread turned into croutons or crackers and a scheme that sees customers swap empty jars for free pastries, with the jars sanitised and filled with homemade jam for sale.
Warings Bakery, Henley-on-Thames
A brand refresh for Warings has been rolled out at its new bakery shop in Henley-on-Thames.
Marking the sixth site in its retail estate, focussed in and around Reading, which are supplied daily from its bakehouse in Spencers Wood. The shops sell Warings’ range of sourdough and traditional breads, cakes, and sweet treats, with long-standing customers said to favour its Lardy Cakes, Bread Pudding, Gypsy Tarts, and Double Knot Doughnuts.
Warings was started back in 1932 by Lawrence Webster Waring, and continues to be run by a family member.
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