Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Child-safe in minutes.

Meet the Other Phone.
Child-safe in minutes.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Chat

Join the discussion and chat with other Mumsnetters about everyday life, relationships and parenting.

Original poster

Gail's Bakery

140 replies

Ringgogo · 28/02/2025 10:35

Do you have these near you ? Just sat in one - what an utter soulless place !

Lovely pastries but what a hype !

Remind me not to visit again

OP posts:
IggyAce · 28/02/2025 10:37

We don’t but I enjoy a visit when I’m in a city that has one, I do tend to grab as a take out.

viques · 28/02/2025 10:38

Their brown butter financiers are my guilty secret. Viques doesn’t share!

Talipesmum · 28/02/2025 10:39

Surely it depends on the particular one you’re in? Ours is great. Expensive, but love it every now and again.

pearbottomjeans · 28/02/2025 10:40

We do, I agree there’s not a lot of ambience and it’s verrrrry expensive. It’s always absolutely rammed though, queues out the door sometimes. I go in there for the squash and sage slice - lush, had it on Wednesday! - sometimes it’s the only GF takeaway option on our whole high st, but sometimes they don’t have it!

BourbonsAreOverated · 28/02/2025 10:41

Don’t get it. The bread is crap compared to a proper bakers, it’s all dry where it’s been sitting there uncovered and poked at by kids.

Original poster
Ringgogo · 28/02/2025 10:43

Their coffee is shite

OP posts:
SirDanielBrackley · 28/02/2025 10:45

We have one but it's struggling a bit as we have 3 or 4 independent cafes that do better cakes and pastries at a lower price, plus a first rate independent baker for bread.

MidnightPatrol · 28/02/2025 10:46

I live close to a Gail’s and its best feature is that it opens at about 6.30am, which is great when you have a small child and have been up since before dawn.

I wouldn’t consider it a destination location, it’s just another high street coffee shop IMO.

RosyDawn · 03/10/2025 07:56

I went to one at 4pm the other day. ie tea time. There was only one poor woman working who had to take the orders, make the coffee/tea and serve the cakes. There were two people ahead of me and I waited for aaages. I was all set to buy a cake as well as my tea and then I saw the price. £6. (Eating in.)

if you’re going to charge me that I want table service not self-service. And certainly not self-service where I’ve had to stand in a draughty doorway for 10+ minutes.

CrustyBread1977 · 03/10/2025 07:59

We don’t have them in Scotland so it was a fun novelty when we were in Cambridge in the summer. Good pastries.

Ddakji · 03/10/2025 08:01

The two nearest me are very nice, another in a nearby city centre less so.

DramaLlamacchiato · 03/10/2025 08:05

It’s basically an overpriced Greggs.

TheChosenTwo · 03/10/2025 08:09

We’ve got a few local to us, I’ve been a few times when passing but I don’t drink coffee and wouldn’t really go to a cafe to sit and eat, im more of a pub/restaurant diner.
It’s a bit shit - expensive and a lot of things I’ve tried taste a bit stale. Love the feta and spinach roll though.
Went at the weekend to get ds a cinnamon roll and he said it tasted different - I tried it and it was stale!
Also the ones I’ve been to involve shuffling along the counter watching the one item I want that there’s only 1 left of in the vain hope that no one in the queue takes it before me 😂
I don’t see it as a dining in option personally, it’s a takeaway and get the hell out of there kind of place.

MissyB1 · 03/10/2025 08:09

Went to the one in Solihull recentlywhen i was visiting a friend there, big Larry let down! They are apparently wanting to open one in our town, it won't do well, we have a good selection of independent cafes that do better pastries.

PeonyPatch · 03/10/2025 08:10

DramaLlamacchiato · 03/10/2025 08:05

It’s basically an overpriced Greggs.

lol, absolutely not at all… the pastries and bakes are far superior to Greggs.

I think they are a little overpriced however. Coffee needs improving, as does the ambiance inside them. Wouldn’t be surprised if they struggle as a chain in this economy. I like it as a treat from time to time. Love their pecan crumb cake.

CantSleepEver · 03/10/2025 08:13

Our nearest one is nice and had some good vegan options when I was last in there. I haven’t been in for a while though.

I have been to another one which was horrible so I guess there are good and bad ones.

Whatareyoutalkingaboutnow · 03/10/2025 08:13

Agree, souless.
Their coffee is weak and their blueberry muffins have hardly any blueberries in them.

BitOutOfPractice · 03/10/2025 08:16

One’s just opened on my town but I’ve not been in. The queues put me off and the cakes and rolls look TINY.

VivaDixie · 03/10/2025 08:17

I totally agree

It's an overpriced canteen. The one in our town is soulless too.

Chersfrozenface · 03/10/2025 08:17

We use Gail's, if there is one nearby, for breakfast as it's cheaper than the hotel for the amount we eat. There's usually far more more space to sit down than in a Greggs.

For takeaway we do tend to use Greggs.

HansHolbein · 03/10/2025 08:18

The granola is very nice.

beasmithwentworth · 03/10/2025 08:19

I think they have over expanded. I remember reading a news article years ago saying that if a pizza express opens in an area then it’s on the up. The modern day equivalent seems to be GAIL’s (really annoying use of capitals and lower case imo)

HettySunshine · 03/10/2025 08:22

We have a relatively new one in our town and I went there for takeaway lunch a few times when it first opened. I went in over the summer and there were flys and wasps all over the food which was set out on the counter, not covered or refrigerated and that really put me off.

I had also noticed that some things were a bit of a weird temperature as well. Sort of luke warm, which can’t be good in a chicken pastry.

blizymitzy · 03/10/2025 08:23

We love their almond or ham and cheese croissants and rosemary and potato bread.
really lovely and yummy

Gruffporcupine · 03/10/2025 08:24

Their pastries etc are outstanding. Love it

Swipe left for the next trending thread