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Warwickshire bakery commended for 100-plus years of service

BBC David GaytonBBC
David Gayton owns a bakery set up by his grandfather William in 1919

A family bakery that has been running for more than a century has been praised for its decades of service.

Gayton's Bakery in Grendon, Warwickshire, was set up in 1919 after three Gayton brothers, William, Thomas and Samuel, returned from war.

It is currently owned by David Gayton, grandson of William.

Patrick Wilkins, president of the Craft Bakers Association, highlighted the operation's community spirit during a visit to the Maypole Lane site.

Its past, captured in a diary and turned into a book, documents events including how the bakery once provided bread for German prisoners of war.

Gayton's Bakery
Gayton's Bakery, in the village of Grendon has been baking bread and cakes for over 100 years

The Gaytons got into the bread business after William was left with a hearing impediment and could not return to his pre-war mining job.

David Gayton said the bakery and making "trusty white bread" was his passion, having started helping out his family from the age of 11.

"It's all I've known and I wouldn't change any of it, I just love it," he added.

"More than anything I just love the community, I love the support of the community."

Patrick Wilkins
Patrick Wilkins, president of Craft Bakers Association, praised the bakery's community spirit

Mr Wilkins said the bakery had been a "great support" to locals.

"They've bought back into that thing that we seem to be losing very much everywhere, which is the community spirit," he explained.

"They're bringing it back and have been very successful in doing so, and always with a smile."

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