Huge croissants and sourdough loaves have been selling out for an irregularly open new bakery, hidden away in Gosforth.
Pink Lane Bakery in Newcastle city centre has a tiny premises and kitchen area so when its owners found demand for their cakes and bakes increasing, the only solution was new premises.
Owner Neil Le Flohic said: "We had totally outgrown the space in town and had been looking around for a while. When we first saw the fire station it was just a garage with roller shutters at the front. We couldn't open six days a week until we had a shop front."
With the help of , the store opened on Saturdays, then also on Fridays, until they sold out, usually well before lunchtime.
Neil said: "The reception in Gosforth has been amazing. One of the things people say about Gosforth High Street is that it has no fruit and veg shop so from this Saturday and for every other Saturday Hexhamshire Organics are bringing their stall outside our bakery after we got to know them at Jesmond Food Market.
"We are also going to be stocking local free-range eggs, charcuterie from Meat Salt Smoke in Byker, Ouseburn coffees, Weardale cheese and Northumberland preserves. It's great being able to sell stuff where you know the people involved."
Neil has been baking in Newcastle for 30 years, taking after his father, who was also a baker - perhaps influenced by the enormous pride in fresh bread in France, where Neil's grandparents came from.
The city centre namesake in Pink Lane is staying open, baking cakes and getting bicycled deliveries from the main production centre in Gosforth,
And the expansion has also meant new jobs, with two new bakers and three serving at the counter, plus another part-timer. The shop will now open Monday to Saturdays from 8am to 4pm.
