Take a look round 120-year-old Orford bakery after modern revamp

Tomlins Bakery, which is now known as Tomlins Bakehouse – a nod to its 1905 roots – was closed over the Easter break while work was carried out both inside and outside the Synge Street shop.

Owners Mark and Sonya Fitzpatrick, who bought the bakery two years ago, have reopened their doors, welcoming customers to the new-look shop.

The new-look shop front

Tomlins Bakery on Synge Street first opened its doors in 1905 when mother and daughter Clarise and Lucy Holbrook started a bakery and confectionary business.

Over the past 118 years, customers have queued out the door to buy one of the mouth-wateringly delicious pies and other baked goods and they’re now officially the best in Warrington.

George Tomlin bought the business from the Holbrook family just after the Second World War and transformed it into the popular bakery it still is today.

They scooped Warrington’s Best for Pies last year topping the tasting charts with hungry customers who can’t enough of the pastries.

Mark and Sonya grew up in houses close to Tomlins Bakehouse and have frequented the shop throughout their lives and the tried and tested recipes and ingredients that were used to make the first pies decades ago are still used today – closely guarded secrets that are revealed to only a few members of staff.

Mark and Sonya Fitzpatrick took over at the Synge Street bakery two years ago

Mark said: “Over the past two years, we have introduced new products while retaining our traditional favourites.

“Add to this, Sonya’s delicious creations and we now have a full counter of desserts that are usually only seen in artisan establishments.

“The brownies, cronuts and speciality cheesecakes are hugely popular and we have lots more sweet treats to complement our savoury delights.

“Business is booming as people travel from all over Warrington to buy our baked goods.

“With focusing on updating what goods we offer to customers, we came to the conclusion that the shop needed to be updated as well.

“We were conscious that the shop has been a bakehouse since 1905 – the oldest surviving bakery in Warrington – so with this in mind, we decided to update the décor while keeping it sympathetic to its history.

“We wanted traditional but smart and we think our new design complements the Tomlins Bakehouse name.”

Space behind the counter was limited so the counter has moved forward to allow additional staff to serve customers, who start queuing at 8.30am some mornings despite the bakery not opening until 9am.

The counter has been brought forward to allow space for more staff to serve the queuing customer

Mark said: “The whole job took just 10 days and we reopened on April 9.

“There are still a few things that need to be completed such as our new display sign outside the shop.

“We have decided to go back to Tomlins Bakehouse – a nod to its name in 1905.”

What do the customers think of the refurbished bakery?

One said: “Best shop around.

“It looks even more amazing now.”

Another said: “Wow! Fantastic job. It looks amazing!

“Well done Mark and Sonya.

“Onwards and upwards Tomlins Bakehouse!”

How Tomlins looked before the makeover

A third said when friends visit from Canada, Tomlins is the first place they want to go when they get to Warrington.

Mark said: “We can’t explain how much our business has grown in the past two years.

“It’s down to keeping it friendly and local, traditional, and available as well as affordable.

“A huge thank you to our customers – near and far – for supporting us and believing in us to make Tomlins Bakehouse the success it is.”