Gone - La Bonne? (Bakery)

[KM]

Has La Bonne Bakery really gone? That sign saying something about refurbishment posted back in January...what happened?

[eggnut]

Nooooooo, I hope not ... but that "refurbishment" has been going on a long time.

[Andwar]

I was in Kirkdale last Saturday, 9th March and it still had the sign up for refurbishment. It has probably suffered like the rest of the small shops through lack of sales.

Shame as I tried to use them every weekend when I was at home. Now I have to suffer the factory rubbish that our local supermarkets sell.

[sugahill cafe]

Yep a real shame especially as we had a good working relationship with Eric at La Bonne and used to get our french pastries from him.Having survived 5 years on Kirkdale we know it is not easy and the area can suffer from a lack of footfall which means you can only rely on regular custom even on the weekends.

[Sydney83]

I walk past it every day and the sign is still there.
They are obviously not refurbishing it but if they are indeed closed why leave everything as it is?!

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[nosinnerlliw]

My Wife has just informed me that La Bonne may be creaking back to life. She saw them apparently measuring up for a new sign and the Kirkdale Village section on Facebook says,
"It's reopening, not sure when, but work is happening at the mo! Good news, eh?"

Let's see.

[Weeble]

Great news!

Hope they get some high quality signage to match their high quality product - their current appearance doesn't do the place justice.

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[leenewham]

Agree. And some more sociable hours.

[nosinnerlliw]

I've just noticed it's new sign reads, 'The IBS French Bakery'. A dodgy name perchance.
The rumour mill here thinks it might have been a revamp post 'bank account restructuring' project.
Or new investment...

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[leenewham]

Lol UBS. It looks the same as before which us a shame as it never really looked like a proper bakery. But what were they thinking naming it after irritable bowl syndrome. Never use abbreviations as a brand name unless everyone shortens your name and its in common use already or there is a great story behind it.

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[multisync]

We would look forward to the return of " La Bonne" but with better hours of opening. If they are refurbishing they should maybe think of putting in a couple of tables and maybe offering proper French coffee. Space on the pavement for a couple of tables a bit like Sugarhill, should think hard.Brilliant openings available.Possibly Alhambra would think differently. But if they can do Tea as a Spanish shop (My Arse) then you can do it as a French bakery !!!!!!

[KM]

It really is called IBS Bakery!
Cue jokes about 'soggy bottoms'....

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[Weeble]

Argh what were they thinking? I LOVE the bakery (I think their almond croissants are to die for) but they are shooting themselves in the foot not having a decent brand or marketing. We're not in France - fresh french bread and patisserie are luxury non-essentials here - it's not like they're competing for the Gregg's sausage roll market. If it looked the part I'm sure it would help the business no end.

Still, I'm delighted they're back.

[marymck]

They're open! New management, bigger range, more sensible opening hours. If I remember correctly, they'll be open 7 to 8, or maybe it was 8 to 7.

I just had some very interesting bread with bits of white chocolate and apricots in it. Expensive, but worth it and very filling, so a little goes a long way. Yum.

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[Nigel]

I must admit seeing the new frontage and sign left me very disappointed this afternoon.
This shop seems to have a lot of support. I am very much a neutral at the moment , having experienced some quite nice croissants but also some quite clumpy , over-baked offerings .

The sign does not suggest any real confidence or commitment and although I wish them well I think they are going to have to sort themselves out , establish opening hours that people actually understand and show a bit more respect for what others are trying to do to lift the HIgh Street and Kirkdale. Without doubt there is a place for another bakery in Sydenham, particularly if they offer something different and high quality - I hope IBS Bakery (it genuinely pains me to speak this awful name) can become such an establishment.

Good afternoon
Nigel

[JulietP]

I'm so glad it's open again! Went in this morning for our usual chocolate and almond pastries, and was talked into an extra sweet chocolate and orange bread - which was delicious. I'd really recommend that people try it!

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[marymck]

Aargh I wish this website would hold postings as drafts. After hitting submit my phone signal dipped and my message was lost. It took ages to write on my phone. So I'm going to try again, but this time as a three parter.

Disappointingly, it's not called the IBS Bakery, which would have been a great partner to the Two Half's. It's the IB Bakery.

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[marymck]

I think the new bakers, who are very friendly, are having teething problems with the oven.

The white chocolate bread was lovely and my husband enjoyed an almond tart, but the two "strawberry" turnovers I bought were a disaster.

The pastry was heavy, strange and undercooked. The strawberry filling was raspberry jam. I loathe raspberry jam. I find it too sweet and I don't like the pips.

On Friday lots of the products were burnt. Which was very sad.

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[marymck]

Third and final part of post ...

Yesterday I bought two individual fruit tartlets. Not cheap at 2.99 a pop, but bursting with fresh fruit.

I was sooo looking forward to this. Sadly, my strawberry one was undercooked. Being a greedy fat girl and a tight wad, I kept nibbling at it till I got a tummy ache.

My husband hasn't eaten his mixed fruit one yet. But if he doesn't hurry up there'll be no fruit left, as a piece of fruit seems to disappear every time I see it. I suspect the pastry will follow the raspberry jam turnovers straight to the bin.

I'm sure everything will be fine once the new bakers have got used to the oven and I really do wish them well. They certainly don't stint on the ingredients. But I'm going to be very careful in my choices till then.

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[marymck]

My apologies. My husband has just pointed out that the sign over the door does say IBS Bakery. I must go down with a camera in case it changes.

The cards and website say IB French Bakery. But this will teach me to look up as well as in the window.

Website is http://WWW.ibfrenchbakery.co.uk by the way. But I don't think it's live yet.

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