Meet the Northants home baker who has gone from running a cake shed to an award-winning commercial bakery
Meet the Northamptonshire home baker who has gone from running a cake shed to an award-winning commercial high street bakery.
Allanah Swain opened Something Blue Bakery at the heart of Long Buckby at the end of May, having taken over and transformed the former Eleven Cafe & Bakery in just a week.
“I originally started with a cake shed and it was the first in Northamptonshire,” Allanah told the Chronicle & Echo. “It was expanding so much and there was no room, and I went looking for a studio space of my own.”
Allanah attends networking group Huddle in Spratton, which is where she met the former owner of Eleven Cafe & Bakery who shared that she wanted to pass the business and premises onto someone new.
It was not long before Allanah took her up on that, and she credits this opportunity to the power of networking. As a mother to five sons, and the fact Allanah’s young family lives in the village, this was the right decision.
“It’s a relaxed, cosy and chilled space with local award-winning Beanworks coffee, cakes, bakes and small lunch plates,” said Allanah. “It has a homely feel to meet friends and family for a catch up. It went from dark green and bright orange, to light blue, soft pastels and wood tones. It’s welcoming and we pride ourselves on remembering orders and regulars.”
Allanah has built on the community feel with workshops, so Something Blue Bakery is a space that people can enjoy, and this includes pottery and wreath making, just to name a couple. This is rooted in Allanah’s past working in an arts and crafts shop.
The business also offers cakes for any occasion, which Allanah has created since she set up her business venture in early 2024, as well as hiring out the bakery for parties.
Something Blue Bakery was recently named best new business at the Northamptonshire Chamber of Commerce Awards, having been nominated before she was even a member.
Allanah was thrilled to have this acknowledgement so early on into her new journey, which goes on her business credentials and will make a difference to the future of Something Blue Bakery.
Looking to the future of the business, Allanah wants to push the cake side for occasions, weddings and corporate events, which has been on the backburner while she settled and found her feet in the bricks and mortar location.
Another exciting development is that Something Blue Bakery will be introducing postal bakes in the new year, with the packaging ordered and on the way.