A BAKERY that provides more than 10,000 loaves and pastries a week to leading delis, cafes, restaurants and hotels has found a home in East Lothian.

Now East Lothian Council has given Company Bakery permission for a warehouse on Musselburgh’s Station Road to be turned into a shop, cafe and bakery.

The bakery is already supplying breads and pastries to cheesemonger I J Mellis and other high-rated food institutions, and staff numbers are expected to increase.

Documents included within the planning application suggested that the cafe and retail space would have room to seat up to 45 people.

It is anticipated the café will be open from 8am to 6pm throughout the week, with the applicant looking to maintain the flexibility of a late closing time of 11pm for special events.

The report reads: “The application site falls within the established employment area known as Eskmills Campus, which contains a variety of offices and commercial premises in addition to an existing restaurant. The proposed cafe and shop will serve the existing businesses located within the wider Eskmills Campus and therefore customers may already be within this campus for other purposes.

“However, given the location and accessibility of the Eskmills Campus, it is readily accessible by walking, cycling and public transport, and therefore the cafe and shop would not rely on visitors driving to the premises.”

Company Bakery was founded in 2017 by four friends: Amy and Duncan Findlater of Smith & Gertrude wine bars in Stockbridge and Portobello; chef Ben Reade, formerly of the Edinburgh Food Studio; and Hollie Love Reid, owner of Nice Times Bakery in Morrison Street and Lovecrumbs in West Port, both Edinburgh.

Previously, Amy said: “It’s important for us to be an active part of the community and to be accessible to trade and retail customers, and we are confident we can replicate what we have achieved in Edinburgh at our new home in Musselburgh.

“While we are predominantly a wholesale business, our market shop grew out of the pandemic when restaurants were closed but people still wanted to buy our products, so Eskmills gives us the chance to develop more of a front-facing customer brand.

“We hope that, once the appropriate approvals are in place, we can open a retail shop with an attractive cafe element to it.”