When Spence Bakery first launched in Stoke Newington 22 years ago, Church St was quiet and they baked just 20 loaves a day.
Now the popular bakery has become a magnet to the area – from their bakehouse under the arches in Bethnal Green they bake more than 500 loaves a day and their bakers are up through the night making fresh cakes and pastries both for customers in Stokey and for pubs, shops and restaurants around London.
The bakery, which is run by couple Katherine Lockwood and Liz Whitaker, started life over the road (where Aun restaurant now stands) but in 2004 they bought the building they now occupy on Church Street and set about transforming it.
Katherine said: “When we moved in there were no chains on the street. The building was an old photographic studio – the outside was dark blue and the interior was pink, the walls were subdivided. We did most of the work ourselves. Liz and I would be pushing around a scaffolding tower painting it. It took four months – it was a bit of a false economy really! We went for orange because we wanted a colour that would stand out without being offensive!
“Since the 80s, the supermarkets had tempted people away from the high street butchers, bakers and fishmongers but with the new millennium, people began wanting a bakery on their doorstep again. Meat N16 opened soon after us and now we have a fishmonger too. People love being able to buy bread in their PJs!
“Making people happy with something delicious we’ve just made is the best job ever.”
The couple are stoic about the news of big-chain Gail's opening in Stoke Newington.
Katherine added: “It was only a matter of time before a big chain arrived – we couldn’t be the only bakery on the street forever.”
Gails has more than 130 branches across the country and plans to open 35 new branches in the UK this year. They’re opening in what used to be Rasa Street (on the eastern side of Church St).
Katherine added: “We expected Gail's to come one day- we were surprised they hadn’t turned up already. They’ve been waiting for a unit big enough to fill with chairs and tables. I’m not worried too much – we have a lot of local loyalty, we are serving a lot of similar products and we are cheaper.
“But they’re most likely to whisk away visitors to the area on a sunny weekend – people who don’t know there’s another bakery further up the street. We might lose a few people that way.
“The best thing you can do when there’s a new rival is to up your game - we’ll never sit on our laurels.”
Katherine has witnessed life in a big chain first-hand. She spent over a decade working for Pret. She added: “When you work somewhere like Pret, you’re a tiny cog in a large machine and it feels quite impersonal.”
Spence employs 19 people; their Manager and Head Baker have been with them for the past 20 years. Liz added: “We have some Spence Babies! Toddlers, who used to come in with their mums, are now grown up and working with us.”
Among their most popular lines are Iced Buns, Chocolate Guinness Cake and Cinnamon Buns. Their wholesale customers include Lizzie’s on the Green, Peck Peck in Hackney Central and Bangers in Shoreditch.
Each week Spence donates bread to the Second Chance Café at the back of St Mary’s Church – this charitable café is run by volunteers and encourages visitors to pay what they feel.
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