A new bakery café called Pinkmans is set to open in Bristol on a former Café Rouge site in October as the first of a cluster of sites focused on the south west.
The concept has been developed by Steven Whibley, former operations director at Le Pain Quotidien and managing director of GAIL’s, and Troels Bendix – master baker who founded Breads Etcetera and The Hungry Guest.
Pinkmans Bakery will open at 85 Park Street offering all-day dining with all breads and baked goods made on-site each day.
The fully licensed, 70 cover bakery café will serve breads, pizza, coffee and cakes to eat in or take away throughout the day as well as meals in the evening with canteen style service and communal seating.
Whibley told M&C he and Bendix would consider opening a second site after the first year in Bristol and would look within the south west at towns including Bath and Exeter.
The privately-funded Pinkmans Bakery will initially be a stand-alone project and although expansion is on the cards, there will not be a roll out in the sense of Le Pain or GAIL’s.
“The priority is to get the first one open and get the quality right and if it’s successful we will look to do another”, Whibley said. “The south west is where we will concentrate.”
As well as an established food and drink scene, Whibley cited a less competitive property market as key to the decision to open away from London, but hopes to generate similar sales.
“We will hopefully be looking for other sites at the end of your one and then hopefully opening at the end of year two.”
Leisure property specialists Fleurets acted on the deal.
