The sourdough specialist will open its new bakery in the Clifton Village area of Bristol in May. The new site provides the firm with a presence in the South West, an area of the country where it works with several producers such as Shipton Mill flour, Quicke’s dairy and Wildpress.
Operating for the past 30 years, Gail’s was initially a bakery focusing on supplying goods into the foodservice sector, a role it still fulfils through its wholesale arm.
However, in 2005 it opened its first high street bakery in Hampstead, London, and has since opened new sites in cites including Brighton and Oxford, with Bristol now set to join that list.
The Clifton Village bakery will be open from 7am until 6pm Monday to Friday, although the space will be available for charities and community groups to use outside of these times.
Commenting on the expansion plans, Gail’s co-founder Tom Molnar said: “Clifton is our first bakery in the south-west and I am happy we are a bit closer to some of my favourite growers, millers and food pioneers. The UK’s baking (and food) scene is getting increasingly better (and more exciting). Bristol’s progressive spirit and fortunate geography in the middle of some great agricultural land, with a long history of good producers, should continue to nurture and attract new ideas.
“The GAIL’s ‘spirit’ was first set by our rebellious-natured founder Gail Mejia, who felt so passionately about rethinking our relationship with food, for the better, and we work with similar-minded growers and producers to champion the quality ingredients that make this happen.”
Molnar explained that Gail’s had been eyeing Bristol as a potential location for a bakery for a while, adding that the brand is excited to possess a “small footprint in a place that we love and admire”.
