On 17 Jul 2010 at 10:40pm Not Norman wrote:
Simple question, or rather questions.
Forfarsis a rather poor excuse for a bakers IMHO. If there was a proper decent bakers in town selling proper decent bread, cakes and pies made on site, would you use it?
If it was not located on Cliffe High St, the High St or Western Road, i.e. not along the main shopping area of town, would that significantly affect your decision to use it?
Are you happy just to get your bread from Tescos, Waitrose, Forfars, or the few shops that sell speciality breads baked in Brighton?
On 17 Jul 2010 at 11:24pm Voice of Reason wrote:
I take it that you're thinking of opening up a business off the beaten track.
Everyone on here will say, yes 'we'll use you, bring it on' then when they find you'll have to charge two fifty a loaf you'll be bankrupt after the honeymoon period.
The 'Brixtobelles' of the town will probably use you, but I'll give you six months.
On 17 Jul 2010 at 11:51pm Smiler wrote:
The bread stalls at the farmers markets seem to do very well.
Forfars does need some competition
On 17 Jul 2010 at 11:54pm Bongo wrote:
I use the baker at Cross in Hand. The bread is lush, with a good taste and texture. The baker in Ringmer sell nice bread, too. I'm suprised quite frankly, that a town the size of Lewes does not have any independant bakers shops. How did we end up with just a Forfars? And why does Forfars smell of stinky feet all the time?
On 18 Jul 2010 at 7:06am MC wrote:
I'd use it. Currently I use Forfars but don't like it at all (I even dislike the smell of it, the horrible stench of those those damn cheesy things masking the lovely smell of freshly baked bread).
However, it would have to be in (or very near to) Cliffe High Street for me to use it. I hardly ever walk up the hill and would not do so just to buy bread.
The Ringmer bakery gets my vote. I look forward to visiting it when i take my dog to the nearby vet.
On 18 Jul 2010 at 10:16am Clifford wrote:
Set it up Not Norman and we'll give it a try.
On 18 Jul 2010 at 10:33am 'ere be monsters wrote:
As long as it's as good as the Yorkshire Bakery of yesteryear it'll do fine. RIP Pat.
On 18 Jul 2010 at 10:40am TDA wrote:
A 'normal' bakery and a 'normal' fruit and veg shop would be great.
I can't afford to shop at organic-type establishments - go to Tescos unfortunately.
If there was some entrepreneur out there willing to open 'normal' shops, it would be great. But, as Voice of Reason says, they would probably go bust as their prices would inevitably still be higher than the supermarkets'.
Richards' the butcher is bloody brilliant though.
On 18 Jul 2010 at 11:12am sashimi wrote:
Bill's and the cafe in Cliffe High Street that used to be Mooreys sell small quantities of decent bread at a price. Waitrose and Tesco do some reasonable breads but sell out pretty quickly at weekends. There's a nice 'normal' bakery in Ringmer which is a whole lot better than Forfars. I've always thought there was room in Lewes for a proper bakery, especially if they were able to bake on the premises. Most of what's on offer is pretty dreadful.
On 18 Jul 2010 at 12:11pm Annette Curtin-Twitcher wrote:
I certainly agree there's a need, and look back fondly on the days of the lovely bakery that used to be in Fisher Street (corner of Market Lane). I think if your prices are ok and you're in the right place, you should do well.
A word of caution though: there used to be a really good bakery in Seaford, just off the main shopping street, but he went bust. A new one is opening up on the same premises, I'd watch how they do before committing a stack of money.
If you do a good apple Danish, and nice flaky sausage rolls, you'll get my custom, wherever you are in town!
On 18 Jul 2010 at 2:15pm Decent Citizen wrote:
"ere be monsters, I remember The Yorkshire Bakers well. Pat the delivery man. Those were the days. If anyone was able to set one up like that, they would have my constant custom. As you say RIP Pat lovely man.
On 18 Jul 2010 at 3:12pm Piggles wrote:
I've thought Lewes could do with one. Forefars doesn't even do basic french sticks etc. Wouldn't go out of the way for one though.
On 18 Jul 2010 at 3:35pm Cliffebimbo wrote:
The Ringmer bakery is excellent and they do a particularly nice sundried tomato bread on a Friday & Saturday. We also have a great butcher and greengrocer.
On 18 Jul 2010 at 5:38pm supporter wrote:
Good old Pat used to run out of bread when he got to my area of Malling.
Bloody good bread though even if it mean't going to the shop.
On 18 Jul 2010 at 9:16pm Brixtonbelle wrote:
Hey Voice of Reason - why do you suppose I would pay a fortune for bread? I HUGELY object to paying 2.50 or more a loaf. Like most people I get my bread from supermarket or forfars but would love a decent bakers at the west end of town.
On 19 Jul 2010 at 5:52am Proper shopper wrote:
One of the biggest problems is that people have changed the way they shop. Like it of loathe it, we use supermarkets these day whereas 30-40 years ago, mums would be at home looking after the kids and do the shopping on an almost daily basis getting all the groceries from the high street.
If you're going to set up a business as a bakers, you need it to get people talking and your produce needs to be good enough to make people want to go out of the way to buy it. There's a shop in Baker street, Brighton called Bangers and it sells nothing but the most devine sweet and savoury, homemade pies. I feel something like that alongside some decent cakes, bread and sarnies could just be a winner.
One thing to considder when starting up, if it's away from the high street, make sure people have somewhere to park their cars !!!!
Good luck.
On 19 Jul 2010 at 12:22pm MC wrote:
I wonder if Lewes has a large enough population (with enough disposable income?) to support a bakery along the lines of the two Real Patisseries in Brighton? That's my kind of bakery, a real treat. Maybe they should open one up here.
www.realpatisserie.co.uk
On 19 Jul 2010 at 1:05pm Down and Out wrote:
Pains (ho ho) me to say it, but the 'fresh' bread from Tescos is really not that bad. It's not up to the standard of a proper traditional baker, but it's a sight better than Kingsmill etc, and I can't see that a decent baker in Lewes would be able to get close enough to Tesco prices to compete.
The little place on Station Street is good for croissants, though.
On 20 Jul 2010 at 3:03pm Annette Curtin-Twitcher wrote:
It's the only thing that keeps me going in Tesco's, D&O! I think it's reasonably tasty, not too dear, and keeps well.
On 23 Jul 2010 at 4:34pm Renee Bird wrote:
I wonder if opening up near Richards where there's still a grocers would work. There'd be a little cluster of food shops that'd mean you could do your weekly shop in one place and avoid the supermarkets. (Plus, for a bakers, there's the lunch market for town hall workers). I'd love someone to open a decent bakery - Forfars stuff is too processed and that cheesy smell is orrible, the supermarkets aren't great for bread and the speciality shops - Bill's, the patisserie, Laportes and CHeese Please - all do really poncey loaves that you wouldn't want everyday. Most people want a loaf for making sandwiches or toast and you can't do that their loaves. Go for it.
On 23 Jul 2010 at 9:13pm Bongo wrote:
There used to be a bakers in Western Road - I think it was where that pottery shop is now. It would only work if the bakery sold sandwiches etc, but to do that you need good parking. That's why the Cross in Hand bakery does so well - lovely fresh sandwiches, good bread, an abundance of passing trade, and FREE PARKING!!! Same reason why Ringmer's bakery does well (though the sandwiches they sell are awful in comparism).
On 24 Jul 2010 at 11:36am Annette Curtin-Twitcher wrote:
There are a couple of free bays by Richards where you can park for 20 minutes without paying, and another one opposite the chemists.
I'd love to see a baker's up this end of town, it'd be nice to see a few more food shops up here.
On 24 Jul 2010 at 11:45am kevsy wrote:
are they free? - the butcher had to tell me to rush outside as someone was giving me a ticket, got there just in time. I know I take a while selecting my sausages, but cant believe I was in there 20 mins