Gail’s Bakery - is it really all that?

I'm not interested in any more conversation with you that doesn't involve pastries.

Is this Tooting by any chance?

Had to wait in one recently whilst DC2 took a test and I was so excited for this - https://gails.com/collections/sweet-cakes/products/pistachio-lemon-rose-cake

It was horribly sweet, to the point I couldn't finish it. It was a very sad morning for me. I love cake!

Gails bread at Ocado is very hit and miss IMO - the logistics of getting it delivered via Ocado, means it can be a couple of days old when it’s delivered to your home. I’ve had refunds from Ocado for this!

We also bought Gail’s bread directly from the shop, but in recent years it’s gone downhill - seems very dry now and doesn’t last at all. I bought their olive bread a few months ago which I used to love, but it was horrible and tasted old - I picked out all the olives and threw the rest away. We’ve given up on the bread now, occasionally buy a coffee or a spinach roll when I’m at Euston but nothing else. As others say, private equity always seems to lower the quality and increase prices.

Favourite bread now is from Jolene. Also pricey, but so delicious and very fresh/lasts well.
https://www.jolenebakery.com/locations/bakery

edited to add: was quoting this post re Ocado, but it disappeared 🤷🏻‍♀️

TheChicDreamer · Today 07:07
I’ve bought their sourdough on Ocado a few times (we don’t live near a shop) and I have to say I wasn’t massively overwhelmed by it.

I'm baffled by 3 virtually identical pictures of that muffin 😅

@Twiglets1this post is me explaining there is no other reason. Can’t you see that?

I enjoy Gail’s and wouldn’t mind one in my area. Compared to the choices around me, I’d happily take Gail’s compared to Costa. There are two in town that are on the opposite ends of the high street.

Just the other day dh told me that in a SW London area once considered pretty rough, (certainly not ‘sort after’ as some EAs like to put it) - but in the past few years said to be becoming ‘gentrified’ - both a Gail’s and an M&S Food will shortly be opening!

All it presumably needs now is a Waitrose for full aspirational status! - and for property prices to rise even further. (Nothing very special 2 bed flats already at £500-550k).

Back to the topic - I will have to go to a Gail's now to try their cinnamon buns.

But I doubt they will be better than my one true love which is the White chocolate and raspberry cookies at Pret.

You could have just said No when I asked if there was any other reason.

As often said on MN, No is a complete sentence!

@Twiglets1”boycott” can simply mean to abstain for buying or using. It doesn’t necessarily mean that you’re doing it for political protest reasons.

Stop policing my use of the English language. The reason I don’t go to Gail’s is because the quality of their offer is nowhere near good enough for the price. It’s not that “I don’t want to give a reason”. I have already clearly explained that reason about 3 times on this thread.

At my office, the team are so obsessed with it that our work WhatsApp group photo is the logo. 😂

I've never been myself but I'm not into bakery stuff, cakes and pastries etc.

Ooh nice I’ll have a look and see if I can get to one. I love sourdough!

No I'm not - most people don't use the word "boycott" to say they don't use a particular bakery so I was asking if there is another reason you are boycotting it beyond it being in your opinion the "most overrated place in the universe".

Most people who boycott things are happy to say they do and why. I don't assume that everyone who boycotts Gail's is antisemitic, people are entitled to boycott businesses for political reasons if that is what you are doing.

Anyway - you don't want to answer the question - fair enough.

It's okay, nothing special. Our one in Sevenoaks gets really busy especially at weekends. I think it's pricey for what it is and prefer to go to an independent.

Yes I have heard of burns the bread, but not tried yet!! One for the list 😁

Speaking of the south west, when I lived down there they had “Burns the Bread” in a few locations which was excellent and I wish they’d branch out up north where I am now!

It's an amazing bakery, small chain think mostly in the south west but absolutely proper old school bakery goods, the best sourdough you've ever tried... Everyone else's sourdough tastes like a tangy house brick after you've tried this!! Can't think of an item they do that isn't delish actually.... Most central one is probably Winchester or Salisbury?

I don't know Brown and Green, but Blackbird staff seem to love ignoring me 😄

Fingals in Maze hill is a good shout.

Is that another over priced bakery or is it a good one or a bit of both? Never heard of it!

Agree but at this point I suggest we ignore the ones trying to derail this thread.

I don’t have an agenda. I have an opinion.

You're really being blinded by your own agenda here.

@EggStationindeed. Best continue to gobble up Gails’ expensive, dry, underseasoned, ungenerously filled vegetable quiches and lukewarm lattes, lest one is accused of being a Jew hater.

How come not one poster has mentioned Reeves bakery?? Genuinely stunned 😳