A new bakery and coffee shop in Hexham has attracted queues along the high street and repeatedly sold out of baked goods during its first week.
El Bakes, the business created by popular online baker Eleanor Waugh, opened its first face-to-face shop at 4a Battle Hill on Saturday, October 3. The opening was welcomed by local residents, with customers coming to see the new premises during its first weekend.
Demand was so strong that the shop ran out of baked goods by late morning or early afternoon several times across its first seven days. The opening week followed an eight-year online bakery journey for Waugh.
Queues formed along Hexham’s high street
Waugh said she had not expected the scale of the response, with customers reporting queues stretching down the road. She described the opening weekend as “absolutely insane” and said the shop had also welcomed many new faces.
“Opening weekend was absolutely insane,” said Eleanor.
“Customers were telling me there were queues down the road, which I didn't expect at all.”
She said opening a new business in a small town was exciting, while also describing the nerves that came with finally opening the shop after a lengthy preparation period.
“I was so nervous to get it open, as I feel like it had been going on for so long it kind of hit me like, 'Oh, it's actually happening.'”
Six-month transformation of former sandwich shop
The new premises had been vacant for a long time and were formerly occupied by Getta Sandwich. Waugh spent six months transforming the Battle Hill shop, carrying out as much of the work as possible with help from friends and family.
Among the jobs was painting, which Waugh took on herself. She joked that customers should not look too closely at the finish and said she did not want to paint again. She also thanked Steven Weatherley Joinery and his team for their work helping bring the shop to life.
The opening has taken Waugh back to a setting familiar from the start of her working life. She said one of her first jobs, and one of her favourite jobs, was at Wentworth Cafe when she was 14. Running El Bakes means she is now behind the counter making her own coffee and bakes.
“One of my favourite jobs and first jobs was working at Wentworth Cafe when I was 14, so to be back behind the counter, this time in my own shop, making my own coffee and bakes feels amazing,” Eleanor added.
Possible hot dessert nights being considered
Waugh said the support of friends and family had been important in making the shop possible. She now works alongside her best friend and said the job does not feel like work.
El Bakes is considering opening later on weekends for hot dessert nights. Waugh also mentioned possible later opening during Hexham events, including Spook Night and Bonfire Night.
For the next few months, however, she said the priority would be settling into life at the new Battle Hill shop.