Family-run Thomas the Baker makes £750,000 investment
North Yorkshire bakery chain Thomas the Baker is investing £750,000 in its Helmsley deli.
Helmsley, the home of the chain, will see a refurbished and rebuilt Thomas of Helmsley delicatessen, consolidating the two Thomas stores within the town.
Work is now underway at the site, which is thought to date back to the 1800s, and is expected to be completed in September.
It was originally a butchers in 1870 under the ownership of the Strickland family, prior to which it was run as the Golden Lion Hotel.
The work will also lead to a consolidation of the two Thomas’ stores within the town. The existing Market Place site will relocate to within the newly revamped store, which already includes a butcher, greengrocer, cheese and deli counters, alcoholic and soft beverages and store cupboard items.
In 2016 the whole of the separate outbuilding was refurbished to create new high grade kitchen and butchery preparation areas.
During the refurbishment there may be some need for temporary closures to ensure the safety of the staff and public, however, where possible temporary trading arrangements will be made to service customer’s needs.
Thomas the Baker was established in 1981, with the opening of a Bakery in Malton, quickly followed by Helmsley a year later, and now standing at 33 shops across Yorkshire. All of the teams currently working in both Helmsley stores will remain employed.
John Thomas, founder of Thomas the Baker, said: “As an organisation, our Bakery and head office is in Helmsley and we live just seven miles away and therefore the town is very close to our hearts.
“The time was right to invest in sorting out the many problems that arise when you own such an old building, and that gave us the opportunity to really think about what we wanted the deli to become.
“The lease was up on our bakery shop across the road, and so it seemed like fate that the two should be joined together, making it even easier for our customers shopping in Helmsley, and creating a fantastic one-stop shop.
“We’d really like to say thank you to our loyal customers, and apologise for the inconveniences which have arisen from the building work, which has been more significant than we first expected. We truly appreciate how understanding everyone has been.
“The changes will be worth it – and will allow us to offer so much more. We’ll have a significantly wider range of food and drink, and our specially created kitchen in a new outbuilding will allow us to prepare more ready-to-eat foods, such as fresh soups and family quiches, as well as cook-at-home ready meals such as stir fries and lasagne.
“Of course, as with all our bakeries, we will also be cooking bread, pastries and pies on site, ready to be enjoyed. We’ve had so many ideas, but in the past the limited facilities have held us back. Now we’re looking forward to a new era and some exciting new products for our customers. Customers will also notice a more modern, fresher look, with improved signage and exteriors, which will look lovely within the beautiful setting of Helmsley’s Market Place.”
