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In defence of Gail’s bakery — why the controversial chain has me in a chokehold

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3 days ago

November 17, 2024

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In defence of Gail’s bakery — why the controversial chain has me in a chokehold

The bakery chain is expanding across the UK and many people aren’t happy (Picture: Getty Images)

If there’s one thing that can divide a group of friends or colleagues, it’s where to get a cup of coffee and a slice of cake from.

Regardless of whether you’re a staunch Costa fan, or will only ever buy from an independent cafe, your coffee shop preferences say a lot about you, and others will judge you for your choice.

If your choice is Gail’s, you’ll likely be labelled as pretentious or a yummy mummy – especially by those in Walthamstow, who recently petitioned to stop the bakery chain opening on Orford Road.

More than 1,800 people signed the petition which claimed that Gail’s was a ‘threat’ to the uniqueness of Walthamstow Village and its vibrancy. In the comments people suggested the chain would ‘ruin’ the high street and ‘hurt everyone in Walthamstow’.

Despite the backlash, Gail’s set up shop with its famous sourdough and cinnamon buns in October and by all accounts business has been booming – but now the company is facing a similar outcry over a new site in London’s Primrose Hill.

Residents of the picturesque spot to the north of Regent’s Park have spent years fighting to keep chains out of their high street, notably managing to block Starbucks from opening there. So naturally, they’re outraged that Gail’s has somehow managed to secure a lease.

Community campaigner Phil Cowan told the Camden New Journal that people should ‘think carefully before patronising Gail’s Bakery’ when it opens, adding: ‘The proposed store will represent yet another rung on the ladder towards identikit retail environments which is both sad and ironic considering that people so enthusiastically celebrate Primrose Hill just as it is. A proudly independent village.’

On social media, people have slammed the chain for ‘driving out’ independent spots from their local area, but others don’t have a problem with Gail’s expanding its offering across the UK. This is predominantly due to its food, which was hailed as ‘sensational’ by u/FritzlPalaceFC. Similarly, u/gg1344304 thought it was ‘unbelievable’.

u/radioslave claimed they could ‘live off’ of Gail’s sausage rolls forever, while over on TikTok @true.value.eats dubbed it the ‘best pastry in Cambridge’.

As Metro’s specialist food writer, I try a lot of food from chains as part of my job and I have to admit, I have a soft spot for Gail’s.

For some people their guilty pleasure is a cheeky Nando’s, for others it’s a Starbucks coffee with the works. But for me, swinging by Gail’s for a silly little drink, or a sweet treat is an instant mood-booster.

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I’ve never had a bad experience there – the food is consistently delicious. My go-to order is the seasonal Apple and Sesame Butter Cake that quite literally melts in the mouth, but the sausage rolls also always hit the spot. (u/radioslave gets it).

The food is also good quality. It’s not deep fried, frozen, or ultra-processed. As far as chains go, there are certainly worse places that could be taking over the high street.

Part of the appeal also comes down to the aesthetics – there’s no denying they’ve done a bang up job with branding. They might have more than 130 locations across the country, but you never really feel like you’re at a chain when you go to one. The decor is minimal and chic, and the packaging has been cleverly designed to give a ‘traditional’ bakery feel, with brown kraft boxes and red and white twine, as well as personalised stickers for each London location.

Even the Gail’s social media account has me in a chokehold, with regular recipe posts, showing staff making pastries and scones by hand, and drool-worthy snaps of iced buns, artisan bread, and frothy coffees. It’s food porn at it’s finest.

But it’s the consistency that keeps me coming back for more, even when I know I should probably go somewhere else.

As I’m sure we’ve all ascertained by now, I *love* food, so I really struggle with the idea of parting with money for a bad meal. I’ve reviewed enough new restaurant openings for The Slice to know that more often than not, Instagrammable dishes aren’t worth the hype – finding somewhere truly great to eat isn’t easy and I won’t lie, my standards are pretty high.

Of course, I’d rather my cash was going into the pockets of someone who really needed it, instead of feeding into a private equity-backed chain, but if I’m in a crunch, I’ll play it safe and order something I already know is good.

Outside of work, I like to support independent restaurants, cafes, and bakeries as much as possible. From Cardabelle Crullers at the Duck Pond Market in Richmond, to pasta from Didi & Franc in Kennington, there are some incredible little-known gems around London that I’d encourage everyone to visit if they get the chance.

If any of these spots were to shut down, I know I’d be devastated, so I understand why people are so upset about Gail’s closing in on their favourites. But it’s also worth bearing in mind that for some people, Gail’s is their favourite local spot (chain or not).

You can roll your eyes all you’d like, but there’s no denying that they’re clearly doing something right to keep customers like me coming back for more.

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