Bread Ahead, the hugely popular bakery at Borough Market, has been told it will not have its lease renewed because it is "too successful" and has grown too much internationally. Founder Matthew Jones is fighting the decision, saying the market is taking away opportunities.
At 10am, a bell rings out across Borough Market. A member of staff at Bread Ahead shakes a brass handbell to signal the stall's fresh doughnuts are ready for sale. A crowd has already gathered to be first in the queue for the bakery's raspberry jam, vanilla custard and crème brûlée treats. On a typical day, the stand shifts 4,000 doughnuts and 1,000 pastries.
From humble beginnings to international growth
From its beginnings in the Southwark gastronomic citadel 13 years ago, Bread Ahead has grown into a sizeable business. Its turnover runs into many millions and there are now seven branches across London along with three overseas, in Bangkok, Riyadh and Dubai. Baking classes are held at some branches, including Borough.
In all, Bread Ahead employs 83 full-time staff. Its bakery school upstairs at Borough hosts "500 to 600" local schoolchildren each week, who come to learn to make bread and doughnuts. The general public and corporate parties also attend its workshops.
Matthew Jones, the founder and owner, says New York is next. "It's all self-funded and it's six months late and over budget but New York opens mid-November," he says. Jones, 56, cuts a relaxed figure, trim and bearded, wearing a branded black baseball cap and T-shirt as he tours the market and his premises.
The lease decision
Jones was approached by the market, which is run by a charitable trust, six months ago to say his lease was due for renewal and it wished to conduct a "food policy review". This looked at everything to do with sustainability, sourcing and whether the company obeyed regulatory requirements such as paying the minimum wage.
"I felt they were on our side," he says. "It took six months to go through it all. Then, we were called to a 'final meeting' in their office. They told us straight, 'We will not be renewing your lease.' We could not believe it. I wanted to know why we'd spent six months and passed the lot, only to be told this. That's when they said you're franchised internationally and you're too successful."
It didn't make sense. "We'd been franchising for five years and they'd never said anything. There are other stallholders who have opened branches, yet we were the one they wanted out." Ginger Pig, a Borough fixture, has spawned additional butcher shops, as has Gelateria 3Bis ice cream and the Arabica Lebanese restaurant; the list goes on. But Bread Ahead is the one which has been told to leave.
Empty units and a legal challenge
There are those who maintain the move is justified, that the modern market was established to promote independent businesses and the likes of Bread Ahead are squeezing them out. Jones received his chance; now new entrants deserve theirs. "It makes me physically sick to hear that, when I think of all the children we've taught, all the apprenticeships and chances I've given," he says.
Nor does there appear to be a hard and fast rule that if you reach a certain size you must go. If there was, that would be open and understood. But there isn't. Critically, too, it's not as if the market is full. As we walk around, Jones is able to point to several empty units, some of which appear to have been in that condition for years. "It's bullshit there is demand to get in," says Jones. "I know of at least two that have been empty for seven years."
Next door to his bakery school there are two large, locked-up spaces, which are clearly vacated and desolate. Jones has applied to take one of them over and increase the size of his school. "We offered for it and they turned it down." He does a quick sum. "This is one of those that has been empty for seven years. At £80,000 a year to rent, that's £560,000 they've lost."
The easy manner has faded now. He is visibly annoyed. "It's Borough Market that is taking away people's opportunities, not me," he says. "Yes, I'm successful; yes, I've got branches. That's because we've got a product that people want." He is waving towards the line of folks at his stall. "We're a bakery that will soon export our doughnuts to New York, to the US, to the home of doughnuts. We're a disruptor brand and we should be celebrated, not made to leave."
Uncertain future
It is far from certain that he will go. His lawyers, he says, were able to prove that the market forgot to renew the ground-floor lease formally in 2020, which means it is protected. "They've accepted we've made the case, which is fantastic, so we're waiting to hear what they propose."
He will stay if he can. If it's any consolation, it would seem he is not alone. Maria's Market Café, a Borough stalwart for 60 years — it even hosted the then Prince Charles and Camilla when they visited in 2013 — has also received its marching orders. It underwent the same type of review when its lease came up for renewal. In a petition against the decision, the café writes: "This decision came without any explanation or prior warning, leaving us and our loyal patrons devastated. This sudden decision threatens not only a family owned business but also a piece of London's vibrant history."
The market is saying little. On Bread Ahead it says: "We continue to be in contact with the Bread Ahead team about their future at the market, but as discussions relating to individual tenancies are confidential it would not be appropriate to comment on the specific details of this case." On Maria's, it says: "As a responsible landlord, we follow all legal requirements when dealing with our tenants on issues relating to their occupation at the market. As you'd expect, we treat the details of anything business related with any of our traders as confidential and do not feel it is appropriate to comment further at this stage while discussions are still ongoing."
If Bread Ahead and Maria's close, they will be missed. They may stay. Whatever happens, the result is a nasty taste.
