Gail’s Bakery - is it really all that?

Never heard of them until recently, certainly none in our neck of the woods, apparently the closest is 75 miles away, so I won’t be rushing to try. However, I understand from a recent BBC article that they do an excellent sandwich for those wishing to exceed their recommended daily salt intake in one go

I don't have enough contempt for its clients.

Full of people trying to pretend they re speshul, discerning and oh so soffistickated. No, you're not, you're run of the mill standard poser, the place is a basica wildlife reserve.

If you really like good pastries and coffee and a community vibe, go support your local independent businesses, not a chain.

You will need to add Pizza Express to your list. And Little Caesar's, Wingstop, Jersey Mike's, Dunkin Donuts, Outback Steakhouse, Baskin-Robbins and Starbucks.

Bains also own Valeo, which includes a number of brands including Jacobs, Rowse honey, Kettle Chips, Odlums, Barratt confectionery, and Balconi as well as Poppets and XX mints.

They also invest in Fresh Direct and Brakes - Brakes provide most of the pub grub meals such as Wetherspoons and they also supply food to the NHS and a lot of schools.

I haven't RTFT but I wouldn't touch them with a bargepole.

Never been in because I cannot and would not justify queuing up down the street for a scone and cup of tea! The queues are always nuts in both York and Ilkley so I’m glad to read it’s shit tbh.

Always intrigued by these kind of comments.

Have you genuinely sampled everything else they offer? They do a huge range of items.

Back in the day, the housing market grew around this whole concept, Kirstie and Phil featuring ‘the next area to the one you can’t currently afford’ and the brands moving in. I remember a buzz on the high street when a Costa was opening that dates me or when a Pizza Express popped up you’d scored in a decent family area and the Ofsted outstanding rating soon followed. The ultimate was Waitrose- if you purchased your property before they opened nearby you’ll be quids in. I value independent shops and need green spaces for me to think it’s a nice area nowadays.
Sorry for wandering off topic, back to the Gail’s pr team chat pastry chat…

from memory waitrose is part of the algorithm.

don’t they say having a local Waitrose increases the property value

I’m predicting they’ll have branches by the end of the year in Headingley (Leeds) and Aigburth (Liverpool).

All the savoury options on offer made me feel sick to be honest

I'm not a fan of their pastries which I think are too crispy / flaky - I prefer mine on the less well done side.

I loved the little honey cakes they used to do and I think the sausage rolls are the best in my local area. Love their little spinach pastry things too.

Yep I only just found out. Work in Manchester and had no idea, googled and found the fucker has been there for 3 years! To be fair to me I work on Oxford Road and don’t venture that side of the city often, not unless there’s issues with Piccadilly and I have to go to Victoria but I’d never pass the Gails naturally.

Yes - the algorithm will be to determine which areas are wealthy enough for them to flourish in those areas.

Waitrose is a sign of an area being prosperous, so are lots of independent shops including Gail's. Successful companies do extensive research before deciding to open a branch in a certain area.

Spinach and feta parcel thing is delish, as are the cinnamon buns. But it’s a rare treat because of the prices

Only the other day dh told me that not only is a Gail’s soon to open in Tooting*, but also an M&S Food.
*SW17, once not considered by estate agents to be ‘sort after’, as some of them like to put it, but for some years now said to be ‘gentrifying’.

All it needs now is a Waitrose!

(I’m very fond of Tooting, before anyone thinks I’m snootily sneering.).

Their loaf cakes are good (especially the MN fave - lemon drizzle) - taste v homemade (if you want to pass one off as your own!)
They are about 12 quid I think, which sounds pricey, but you get a lot of slices and it's great for a last minute tea date or a host gift or somesuch.

This sounds yum. I would add more salt though, so I hear a little crunch when I bite ☺️

They have an interesting algorithm to work out where to pen next. It has to have x amount of independent shops etc.

i never understand the love for them, over priced and dry. Normally the independents are doing what they are 10x better but gails is the one with the queue

I had a Pain au chocolat from Gail’s and it was proper shit

And loads of them aren't behind a glass screen.

Our local John Lewis has some sandwiches and cakes behind a screen. But also a big display in the middle of the cafe of cakes which are not behind a screen and people can use self service to pick them up with tongs.

Usually if an area has a Gail's, it has some decent independent coffee shops around too. They will get my business on principle.

That said, I do go to the one at Euston station from time to time. Especially if work are paying for it.

🍿

My pastry was below average so “decent enough” wouldn’t even cover it for me. It was dry and hardly had any of the filling it should have had. It looked impressive, but wasn’t all that pleasant to eat.

My friend excitedly took me there as her treat. I took her somewhere else when it was my turn!

The one near us opened last summer and is the same. I found it all overpriced. It was quiet when we went in and the staff could barely contain their boredom. They got our order wrong, fair enough everyone makes mistakes but then the person argued with me that I had ordered the wrong thing. Luckily I had my receipt and it showed correctly what I had ordered. After then being given an unwashed teaspoon we vowed not to got back.

Overpriced and won't take cash. Object on principle.