An established bakery is set to open a third outlet in the entrance to Harrogate railway station.
The Secret Bakery, which has been based on Knaresborough Road since before the covid pandemic, is hoping to open the doors of its new shop next Friday, August 25.
Owners Jane and James Spencer said they hope it will prove popular with office staff, commuters and visitors to town – and they are looking forward to the Station Gateway project.
James told the Stray Ferret:
“Because of the changes the council is planning, we’re hoping to take the front of the shop out and put concertina doors in.
“Then we could have it open and some pavement cafe seating.”
The couple took over The Secret Bakery in October 2020, after it was originally founded in a domestic kitchen in the Saints area of Harrogate.
Despite the ongoing covid restrictions, James said it was a busy time, as many customers liked to buy from a small business and avoid the supermarkets.
The new outlet on Station Parade will offer the same range of sandwiches, cakes and drinks for which the Secret Bakery is known.
A second baker has already been recruited to increase capacity behind the scenes, and staff from elsewhere in the business will be moving to work in the central Harrogate shop.
The secret bakery on Knaresborough Road
The bakery on Knaresborough Road will remain open, as will a second unit in Knaresborough‘s Market Place, which opened last October.
James said the Knaresborough shop had a strong start last autumn but has been quieter this year, perhaps down to lower than expected levels of tourism across the town.
However, he is hopeful that being in the centre of Harrogate, close to other businesses and transport links, will prove successful.
The unit was previously occupied by a cafe, but closed around eight months ago. James said the owner of the neighbouring shoe repair and key cutting shop had already been in touch to welcome the new business.
Its opening hours will be long than the other two Secret Bakery shops, with James and Jane hoping to catch commuters from 7am until 6pm, Monday to Saturday.
James added:
“I saw this place originally and didn’t think much of it, but then the cogs started turning. It means we’re in town rather than the outskirts.
“It’s in the process of being refurbished. We weren’t planning on doing much, but then we thought, ‘let’s do it properly before we open’.
“They’re due to finish soon, then we need to get the fridges and things in, and we’re hoping to be open next Friday.”
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Business is booming in Knaresborough as empty shop units continue to fill
Knaresborough has seen a stream of new businesses opening in the past year despite the challenges posed by the cost of living crisis.
Recent additions include The Secret Bakery and River and Rose and last week high street bakery Greggs confirmed it was opening a branch in the town.
There are currently only six empty units available compared a peak of more than 40, according to the two women behind the Knaresborough Business Collective.
Annie Wilkinson-Gill, from The Crystal Buddha, and Natalie Horner, from Sid Horner and Son, who launched the not-for-profit venture in January, said there were a number of reasons why Knaresborough was so attractive to businesses.
Ms Wilkinson-Gill said:
“There is a lot of new energy coming into the town. More than 12 business have opened here this year.
“I think we have a lot to offer, because we are a tourist destination as well. We bring a lot of tourists in for a good half of the year and the other half sees locals use a lot of the businesses.”
Annie Wilkinson-Gill (left) and Natalie Horner.
Ms Horner added:
“Most of the businesses are quite unique. We offer a lot as a town. You can get everything here. I also think after covid a lot of people wanted to support local.
“You get amazing customer service in Knaresborough. When customers walk in, staff know them by name. All that helps to make it a community. We also have the market on a Wednesday.”
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The women, who set up the collective to stage events and be a voice for businesses, have both had a presence in the town for more than a decade.
During this time they have seen the town experience struggles with shop closures and empty units.
However, in a post-covid world, they believe there is now more support than ever for local businesses, including amongst the business community itself.
Ms Wilkinson-Gill said:
Sneak Peek: The Secret Bakery, Knaresborough“As well as the people who live here, the shops all support each other. We all know the importance of keeping each other going. We have all got the same goal.
“I have got the most amazing group of friends in different businesses. It’s a really lovely town full of lovely people.”
Harrogate’s The Secret Bakery has expanded and launched a second branch in Knaresborough.
The shop and cafe, in Market Place, sells baked goods, including artisan bread, cakes and sandwiches, which are all made at the Knaresborough Road site.
The new outlet, which also serves drinks, including coffee, is being run by the bakery’s co-owner Jane Spencer, a former teacher from Keighley.
She said:
“This shop used to be The Reading Room and we used to deliver bread here from our shop in Harrogate. When they decided to close, we thought it was a great opportunity for us to open in Knaresborough
“A lot of our Harrogate customers come from Knaresborough, so it’s nice that we can be here.
“I would say our most popular product is our bread, particularly our sourdough. People come from all over to buy it. Our cakes and scones are also really popular.”
Jane Spencer (right), co-owner of The Secret Bakery, Knaresborough and Aime McNaught in the new shop and cafe.
Opening hours are currently under review, but the aim is to eventually open seven days a week, from 8am until around 4pm and from 10am on a Sunday.
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Mrs Spencer and her husband James bought The Secret Bakery in November 2020.
The business is continuing to grow, with work starting next week to develop the Harrogate site.
Mrs Spencer said:
“It will give us some more space in the back to make all the bread and cakes and everything.
“We are also going to be opening later from Thursday through to Sunday and offering things like bread and dips. We will also be serving alcohol.”
The cafe area at The Secret Bakery, Knaresborough.
Flour, water, salt and yeast. This small hidden gem of a Harrogate bakery may keep the ingredients simple but there is so much more that goes into its bread.
The Secret Bakery, on Knaresborough Road, has been on the rise ever since it opened the doors just over a couple of years ago.
Sarah White, who has been involved from the very beginning, believes that there is a real and growing demand for more traditional bread.
The bakery had a humble start in life out of the previous owner’s house in the Saints area of Harrogate. But requests soon flooded in from the likes of Fodder and Weetons.
“Good homemade bread and cakes has always been the ethos of the business. It is tiring work but it is worth it.
“People like the homemade bread, it is a labour of love. They can tell we bake the bread here and they really appreciate it,” Sarah said.
Small bakeries used to be the heart of towns and villages. While factories and supermarkets make the majority of bread these days, the independents are staging a comeback.
It has never been work for the feint of heart. The staff are often at work around 5am to start mixing, folding and shaping.
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As an essential business, The Secret Bakery has been able to keep its doors open throughout the year.
There was plenty of demand in the first coronavirus lockdown, with people queuing of the door and down the street to try and get a slice.
It was difficult at first as some staff had to give up their roles to look after children when schools closed but the bakery got through and thinks it helped put them on the map.
James Spencer has just taken over The Secret Bakery, allowing Sarah to spend more time doing what she loves: baking.
He has big plans for the shop and told the Stray Ferret:
“Ever since I came in it just felt right. There is potential to get some tables and chairs outside, open up the space in here a bit and get some alcohol involved.
“If it goes well we could tap into the football crowds when they come back. I am also thinking about setting us up on one of the delivery services.”