The latest Gail’s Bristol venue has opened today (Friday, February 21) on Whiteladies Road. It comes just months after the first branch of the popular high street bakery chain in the South West opened its doors in Clifton Village, and after the announcement that two more branches would be opening in the city this year.
Situated at 52 Whiteladies Road in Redland, in the former home of Little Dobbies garden centre, the latest opening will serve up Gail’s much loved artisan sourdough breads, pastries, sandwiches and cakes, alongside its speciality house blend coffee and more drinks choices. A third Bristol Gail’s site is scheduled to open on College Green on March 27.
The already existing Clifton site, which will have been open for a year on Regent Street this May, saw out-of-the-door queues on its opening day, as the people of Bristol came along to show their support and welcome this popular name to the city. The bakery has championed several south west producers, such as Shipton Mill flour, Quicke’s dairy and biodiversity champion Wildpress, since its opening.
Despite this, there was much debate on Reddit over the opening of more Gail’s bakery sites in Bristol, following the news of the upcoming openings of the College Green and Whiteladies Road branches. In a post on the Bristol sub-Reddit, users shared varying opinions, with the original post saying: “I fear for the independent businesses that make Bristol, Bristol”.
In its defence, some took to comment, with messages of support including one which read: “Supply and demand I guess. For the majority of people, being independent is not enough. I support them where I can, and rather make my own coffee than have one in a chain, but the number of times I have had burned, generic brew at an independent café is insane. People value consistency, and buying from a chain is always the same.”
Gail’s has bakery branches in various locations across the UK, including London, Birmingham, Manchester, Cambridge, and Liverpool.