Bradwall Bakehouse, Bradwall Road, Bradwall, Sandbach

When hospitality entrepreneur Woody Barlow of Bear Inns pondered where to get the best bread for his businesses, The Swan at Tarporley and The Lion at Malpas, his wife Fiona’s answer was: ‘Stop moaning and do something about it.’

Woody started to research recipes and methods to create perfect additive-free bread and set up a bakery in the village hall at Bradwall, near Sandbach, just two fields away from his own home.

The hall once served a community of 36 tenanted farms (only three remain) and was in less demand, so Woody and Fiona bought the building, opened Bradwall Bakehouse while keeping space for community events and a rehearsal room for Foden’s Band.

The breads at Bradwall Bakery. (Image: Kurt Thomas) Woody says: ‘The plan was to have some fun, sell artisan breads, supply our own inns, and other businesses, and not lose money. I’m the knowledge and Fiona is the enthusiasm behind the project.’

The first bread was baked on April 28, 2022, with 11 loaves selling in the first week. Now, more than 2,000 products are baked weekly, with 70 per cent sold wholesale, supplying pubs, restaurants, event companies and delicatessens.

‘People often pop in for some bread from the shop here and are still here talking about community-related affairs half an hour later,’ says Woody.

Fiona Barlow, Dan Allen, Richard Fender and Woody Barlow of Bradwall Bakery. (Image: Kurt Thomas) The baking team consists of head baker Richard Fender, Dan Allen, Dom Jones and Liam Kirkham. Woody is proud his family has risen to the challenge, with his and Fiona’s children, Oliver, Henry and Eliza, helping with the accounts, the shop and at farmers’ markets, and his parents, George and Anne, supporting with deliveries. The team bakes up white and malted sourdoughs, bloomers, buns and fruitloaf.

Guest bakes, which change weekly, include green olive and herb, smoked paprika, cracked black pepper and Marmite and Red Leicester.

The focaccia – the sea salt and rosemary and sea salt and confit garlic – is out of this world and the bakehouse sells dough balls for homemade pizzas.

Graham and Clare Birkett from Davenham made a detour to buy a loaf or two. (Image: Kurt Thomas) Planning has been granted to open a coffee shop next year. There is a click-and-collect service, unsold stock goes to The Pantry@Sandbach Hub, based at the town’s Wesley Centre.

The site’s reputation is growing – during my visit, a father and daughter arrived on bikes having cycled for an hour and a half from Davenham to get their bread, and a couple recently diverted from a trip between Essex and Scotland after hearing how good the bakehouse is..

Bradwall Bakehouse, Bradwall Road, Bradwall, Sandbach, CW11 1RG, 01270 440549; bradwallbakehouse.co.uk Kurt Thomas is the head chef and owner of Cheshire-based Cooking for Events: cookingforevents.com