William Hague launches organic bakery

A YORKSHIRE woman who started cooking breads and cakes from her farm kitchen has opened a new organic bakery to meet the growing demand from retail and trade customers.

Westfields Farm Organic Bakery in Leyburn has been launched by Anastasia Weiner and was officially opened by Shadow Foreign Secretary and Conservative MP for Richmond William Hague on Saturday who cut a specially made three foot long organic loaf of bread as is traditional on the continent.

The bakery offers authentic Mediterranean and European artisan bread, cakes and pastries and has already won widespread acclaim for its healthy and tasty natural products.

The move has seen the company taking on staff including an experienced master baker and launching a shop where customers can buy their daily bread and cakes as well as healthy organic refreshments, sandwiches and snacks.

Locally sourced ingredients including organic stone milled flours, butter, cream, milk, cheese fresh fruit and vegetables are used. Westfields Farm

Organic Bakery is also an environmentally responsible business sourcing ethically and using only sustainable packaging.

It aims to be a responsible employer and play an important part in the local Wensleydale community.

Founder Ms Weiner, who writes for TheBusinessDesk.com, said that it was the lack of a local bakery combined with her love of continental-style baking and patisserie that encouraged her to start the business.

“When people come back from the continent they always rave about how wonderful the breads are,” she said.

“Every town, no matter how small will have a bakery, and everyone in that town will support their local baker. But here in the UK we have become so reliant on the major supermarkets that local bakeries are fast disappearing. I wanted to reverse that trend.”

But Ms Weiner, a business journalist and author, also wants to encourage people to eat more bread.

“I've lost count of the number of people who have told me they no longer eat bread because it makes them unwell. And that's such a shame. Traditionally made loaves using good stone milled flours and grains are incredibly healthy for you.”

As well as everyday white, wholemeal and granary loaves, the bakery will be selling Italian breads and rolls such as ciabattas and focaccia, Eastern European influenced rye, spelt and 12 grain bread, together with bagels, pretzels, and Danish pastries. Delicious cakes, tarts and quiches with a Mediterranean twist will also be available as well as stone baked pizza.

In addition, Westfields Farm Organic Bakery will offer a bespoke cake decoration service for birthdays, weddings or other special occasions.

“It will be like having a bakery straight out of France or Italy here in the Yorkshire Dales,” said Ms Weiner.

Located on Leyburn Business Park the new bakery is close to Leyburn's famous Chocolate Shop and The Teapottery.