Phil Manion's Bakery in Walton has been crowned the best bakery in Merseyside after hundreds of ECHO readers cast their votes. The independent shop on Hale Road topped the poll, beating some of the region's biggest names in a competition that celebrated the area's thriving baked goods scene.
Vote Results and Runners-Up
Hundreds of votes were counted and verified, with the little family-run ventures rising to the occasion. In joint third position was Liverpool's Pastille and Bean There, followed by Satterthwaites Bakehouse in second place. But it was the understated Manion's bakery that took the cake.
With no flashy social media accounts or viral pistachio donuts in sight, the shop attracts customers from as far as Speke and Huyton, with queues forming out the door daily. Despite hardly holding eight to 10 customers at a time, fresh bread sells out daily, workers flock for sausage and bacon butties at dinnertime, and students pop in for breakfast.
History and Family Legacy
Originally owned by the eponymous Phil Manion himself, the bakery once had five shops across Merseyside but downsized in Phil's lifetime, returning to its single original store. Phil died 14 years ago. Derek Ford and David Brook, both in their 60s, took over last year and previously mentioned the shop's approach to baking has hardly changed since they first experienced it working as shop staff in their teens and 20s.
It's a classic rural bakery without an extravagant menu. Customers can call in to find freshly baked bread, colourful buns oozing with cream, and plenty of favourite items like sausage rolls, pies and cooked meats.
Team Reaction and Customer Praise
The honour to be named the best in Merseyside was nothing short of "incredible" for the team to learn. Shop manager Sue, who has worked at the bakery for 27 years, told the ECHO: "It's a big passion. I love the community and everything to do with it. Every single day there's a new walk of life, from young to old to babies and we've watched them grow."
Sue added: "It's lovely to know people think so highly of us. Everything is made on the premises and fresh everyday. Phil retired and sadly passed away but Dave and Derek did a fantastic job in keeping everything that the bakery was about alive. We're just made up. We don't do anything special so to hear everyone thinks so highly of us is just incredible. It meant the world when we found out. I just want to say thank you to everyone who voted for us. We hope you all come in again soon."
David, who met Derek while working at the bakery as a "Saturday lad" in his teens, said: "You know you're doing something right when it sells out everyday. It's a good feeling." Having since worked at other shops including stacking shelves in supermarkets, it was a passion for fresh loaves that brought Derek back to the shop he now co-owns.
Derek, speaking of the pre-sliced loaves and supermarket bakes that are a far cry from Phil's freshly risen barms, crusty rolls and white and brown loaves, said: "Nothing's getting made fresh anymore. Baking from scratch you get the smell, you don't get that frozen. We're established and people like that it's always the same - the same products, the same ingredients. It's consistent. You don't change something that's working. We get phone orders too. Some of our staff have worked here for 20 years. They know the customers just by their voice."
ECHO voters were enamoured by the bakery's "fresh baked bread every day" and the "fab staff that make this a perfect bakery all round". One person said they've been visiting since they were a child for the "lovely cakes and crusty cobs and always a line out the door". Another simply said: "All their produce takes you back in time. Amazing."
