It’s a great year for this popular local bakery: the original Glastonbury shop is celebrating its 40th anniversary and the company has also been awarded the Best Bakers in Somerset in The National Bakery Awards.
Master baker Robert Burns set up his bakery, Burns the Bread, in Glastonbury in 1983. He has now opened shops in Street, Wells, Castle Cary, Somerton as well as a Bakery School in Glastonbury. The Wells branch opened in 2011.
‘We don’t have plans to open any more shops at the moment but if the right premises and location came to light then who knows?’ says Terri Petherbridge, daughter of founder, Bob Burns. Bob has retired from the day to day running of the business, but still oversees courses at the School of Baking. It remains a family business though, with Terri as the managing director, and Bob’s twin grandsons, Max and Casey, as directors.
Burns the Bread supplies the city with a delicious array of freshly baked bread, cakes and pastries, as well as providing a great takeaway service: ‘we are making more sandwiches than ever,’ says Terri.
The Glastonbury Pasty remains the bestseller although the team has seen a big shift towards vegetarian and vegan products in both sweet and savoury lines.
Torsy Moorsy Fruit Cake; made with good old Somerset Cider and gorgeous Cheddar Cheese was developed it from an old recipe found in a fireplace during renovations 25 years ago.
‘We research current trends and try to put our own spin on them,’ explains Terri. ‘This means lots of testing and tasting!’ There are always seasonal specials, and the run up to Christmas is a particularly a busy time in the bakery. To avoid disappointment, my advice to anyone planning a visit is, don’t leave it too late in the day. Things sell out pretty quickly!
