A new bakery has opened in Twickenham, adding to the growing mix of independent businesses in the town centre.
Twickenham Village Bakery opened its doors on Saturday, taking over the old bank on London Road, which had laid empty for nearly three years since the closure of pizza restaurant Folded.
Now co-owners, Fawzi Ghani and Riad Zaik, are hoping their selection of fresh bread and pastries will fill a gap in the local market, with residents having limited options for an independent bakery in the town centre in recent years.
Ghani said: “The idea we’ve brought is different and it was something that was missing in Twickenham.
“People are really happy to see a bakery that makes proper pastries and bread, and they have given us positive feedback.”
The opening comes as Twickenham continues to champion independent businesses, with local traders working alongside organisations like the Discover Twickenham Business Improvement District to support the town centre.
Twickenham Village Bakery is another addition to the town’s independent scene.
Ghani said the bakery aims to focus on quality ingredients, using premium flour sourced from France and avoiding unnecessary additives in its products.
Zaik, a trained pastry chef, has drawn on his experience working in France to create a menu filled with products ranging from classic French croissants, brioche loaves and fresh bread to “trend” foods like pistachio buns and red velvet rolls.
The new bakery also brings independent baking back to Twickenham, a town with a surprisingly rich history when it comes to bread.
The much-loved Belmont Bakery stood on Queens Road – now home to First Swim – for over 40 years before it closed in 2011 after a hygiene scandal.
Twickenham was also once home to a Greggs bakery factory, while south west London chain Cavan Bakery opened its first shop in the town in 1929, though it no longer trades from this site.
Ghani hopes Twickenham Village Bakery can continue that tradition.
He said: “It’s important for the community to have quality bread.”
Featured image credit: Alice Bathurst
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