Fifth generation Northampton family bakery celebrates turning 110 years old during lockdown

Gardners Bakery, in Harborough Road, has been a staple part of Kingsthorpe high street for 110 years this month and their recipes dating back over a century are still a household favourite in some Northampton homes.

The bakery says they are still famous locally for their tasty angel cake, frangipane ducks and boats and marmite bread.

But after Marylyn and Roger Gardner passed the reigns onto their daughter, Helen over 20 years ago, the bakery still honours recipes handed down from the founder, James Gardener.

"Lots of the recipes we still use are handed down family recipes," fourth generation baker, Helen said.

"There's an angel cake we are known for, it's pink and white sponge, which is one of our best sellers.

"I trained in Birmingham, I went to college when I left school but I leaned a lot from my dad and grandad. I don't ever recall thinking 'I wasn't going to do this'."

After her stint at college, Helen, mastered bespoke cakes, which the company now bakes for for christenings, birthdays and weddings.

"We are a traditional bakery, but our main thing is really wedding and birthday cakes," fifth generation baker Amber said.

"We have always grown up in the bakery - coming in every day after school in the week and working Saturday jobs, me and my sister, Leila always wanted to carry it on."

So much so, Amber and her sister Leila are the driving force behind opening their second shop in Market Harborough, which opened eight years ago specialising in cakes.

Helen, who is planning celebrations for the end of lockdown, said: "We feel that it’s a testament to each generations hard work and dedication of moving the business forward that we have been able to carry on this long.

"It’s our moving with the times and new generations coming in with new ideas that we have succeeded, and we feel the legacy will carry on for years to come."