Support your local French bakery!

[DesignByBen]

Totally agree with most of the previous comments. The bakery is great, reminds me of the amazing taste and quality you get in Paris.

Problems-

Don't agree that the croissants are too big... really people?

I think the shop/bakery layout is all wrong, it is a big site. I would have used all that space to have tables and chairs, chuck in a quality coffee machine with the great pastry's and you would have problems getting people to leave. It's a shame, they don't do more. Best of luck.

[marymck]

Really Ben! I was suggesting that if they made their pastries smaller they'd be cheaper to make and I might get more than three raisins in my pain au raisin. And they're certainly too big for my appetite, or my husbands. So we buy one and cut it in half. Whereas from Valerie's we buy two.

If economics are the issue, then surely this makes financial as well as dietary sense?

I have also lost count of the times I've been there to find the shop is closed during the advertised opening hours. I actually genuinely thought it had closed down.

[LaBonneBakery]

We are doing our best to recruit another Traditional Baker. It doesn't really matter if the Baker is French or English. All we want is someone who could maintain the current standard of our products. Thank you for your patience.
La Bonne Bakery

[JulietP]

Are you still closed? Was hoping for pastries tomorrow...

[ Post made via Mobile Device ]

[Annie.]

Have you tried an agency? Blue Arrow normally have many Chefs on their books.

[ Post made via Mobile Device ]

[LivesNearby]

They were open yesterday and were planning on opening today too, so you should bi in luck JulietP

[LaBonneBakery]

Hi We are operating the usual opening hours as specified above.
We have contacted a few catering agencies but unfortunately their prices are more tailored for big restaurants and companies. i.e. you are looking to spend around £175-£190 per day to hire a chef or qualified and experienced baker! very unrealistic and we cannot definitely afford that.

We are aware of the potential the bakery has and the space we could use to have tables in. This would imply employing another staff to ensure that the service follows , which we cannot do if we are trying to rationalize our running cost. Let's imagine the scenario where we manage to do that, we will be directly competing with the Cafe opposite us (JASMINE) and we do not want that as we are not in business to kill other small businesses around.
Kirkdale businesses need to work together enhance the image of the area.
We did not establish in Sydenham by accident, we knew it would not be as easy as being in East Dulwich, Blackheath or Greenwich. Let's hope that with the announcement of the successful bid to boost the area, the opening of Forest hill pools, etc...more people will attend local shops.

[LaBonneBakery]

Please be aware that we have found 2 new traditional bakers to help produce the magnificent bread and pastries. We have already stated with several new products so feel free to pop in during our opening hours.

La Bonne Bakery Team

[owlwise]

It's Sunday morning, peeing with rain and I've just been to La Bonne Bakery and bought a nice freshly baked loaf which I have just had with scrambled eggs. The bread is delicious! I also got myself a freshly baked almond croissant - a treat for later.

What a luxury it is to have a bakery offering such delights so locally and on a Sunday morning. If you are thinking about it but have never got round to going there (like, ashamedly, I did for so long), please do try them and support this wonderful local enterprise.

[Tim Lund]

I was up there earlier this week, and although the shop was officially shut, they very kindly opened up to sell me one of the last two loaves they had. Definitely a shop to support.

[multisync]

Support this or it will go, bought some little biscuit things there the other day, 6 for £1 delicous Keep going.

[Andrew]

Does anyone know what is happening with the bakery? It's been closed since Christmas, with the windows covered over. There is a hand written notice on the door saying that it's closed for refurbishment and they'll be back soon. No sign of anything happening, however. I fear the worst !

[Syd Vicious]

I feel torn about these local bakeries - live near La Bonne Bakery and also sometimes go to Blackbird bakery on Grove Vale.
Both bakeries seem to suffer from a bit of variability in the standard of products (to be fair Blackbird is definitely worse - for e.g. sold my old mum a seriously burnt loaf of bread for some astronomical price - she is very short-sighted - I thought it was discgraceful).
The problem for La Bonne is more that it calls itself a 'French bakery' - but its absolutely nowhere near being an actual French Bakery... (layout, products, etc) so what is it?
(Also - I go through London bridge and for same money you can pick up a Paul pain six cereals which are unbeatable in my view... but on the other hand, yes I'd like to support local business - but THEY HAVE TO COMPETE ON QUALITY - otherwise business is always gonna fade away over time).
Guys my serious business advice is this - by any means neccesary, recruit yourself AN EXPERIENCED FRENCH BOULANGER/PATISSIER (advertise in French trade press). Market the f*ck out of this particular indivdual - make sure everyone in five miles has a leaflet with his smiling face on it. Make sure you set out his credentials and experience. Also out of your way to hire counter staff who are genuinely interested in learning the trade and yes preferably french.
LOCAL aint enough... LOCAL AND AUTHENTIC... now you are really gonna make a great business and a lot of money out of that. Sydenham would be fine cos people would travel for the real thing (especially if you could crack the "why can't anyone make a decent baguette in London" conundrum) Good luck!

[Andwar]

Although Kirkdale is good, you have to know that the bakery is there and open. It is also not conducive to passing trade which then boosts any small business. I believe Kirkdale was chosen because it sits half-way between Sydenham and Forest Hill but who walks past it during the day?

They need to relocate to either Forest Hill or Sydenham and be close to the station, that way us commuters can pick up a baguette or croissant on the way into work and then some bread or pastries on our way home. It would also benefit from the daily passing trade and at weekends.

With the redevelopment of the high streets now might be a good time to inquire about vacant retail premises and secure a prime location for the expansion of the bakery.

Anyone else got any thoughts?

[multisync]

Well I think firstly they have to get a move on with this ' so called refurb' The bakers has been closed since just after Christmas. It is quite expensive, but if the bread is good you don't mind paying for it. Quite often it is burnt on top, to much to reheat in the oven and crisp up and not much choice in the patisserie line either.
In the refurb they could also put some seats and make some decent coffee, afterall Alambra do it and the tea and cake doesn't go with the Spanish flow !!!
Think hard Bonne Bakery for the future,