'Shropshire Lad' chef celebrates opening of new coffee and bakehouse in Ironbridge
Shropshire chef Adam Purnell has celebrated the opening of his latest venture - a new bakery located just a stones throw from the Iron Bridge.
Adam, also known as the Shropshire Lad, has cultivated a major social media following over the last decade and opened Embers in May 2023 in the former Green Wood Café in Coalbrookdale.
The thriving woodland-based café has recently extended its opening hours to meet growing demand, and business has also taken up residency of the kitchens at The Park public house in Wellington.
Now, the team has officially opened Baked Bean, a bakery and coffee house in Ironbridge, in the former home of Eighty-Six'd on Waterloo Street.
It hasn't been smooth sailing for the new venture, with work to the property interrupted just a couple of weeks after they began when a car hit the front of the building in the early hours of December 29.
But progress was not halted for long and, earlier this month, Baked Bean began welcoming its first customers.
All of Baked Bean's baking is done off site at Haven Hills Farm, an organic farm just outside of Shifnal.
"I've wanted to open a bakery for a while," explained Adam.
"We have real trouble ourselves sourcing good bread for our restaurant. I had a very good pastry chef with me when we first opened.
"He left and went elsewhere, but I always thought when I got to a point that I could open a bakery, I'd ask him if he'd like to come back and work for us again. And that's exactly what's happened."
As well as cakes, pastries, bread and coffee, the new bakery stocks freshly made sandwiches for a grab-and-go lunch option.
Adam said: "I think it's a bit of a local necessity. Ironbridge is great if you want to buy an artisan bottle of vodka or a teddy bear, but there's not much of the staple stuff.
"So we thought we'd try and fill that gap and also meet a need that we have for the restaurants, too."
Adam said the opening wouldn't have been possible without the help of funding from Telford & Wrekin Council, who awarded the business a Pride in Our High Street grant.
Councillor Ollie Vickers, Telford & Wrekin Council’s Cabinet Member for the Economy and Transport, said: “Ironbridge has many cafes already but the unique nature of Baked Bean will hopefully bring in both locals and visitors to the area.
“We’re pleased to support Adam and Tess with this move and are sure that it will generate lots of interest in the town.”
The takeaway also features a shop section selling packaged local jams, chutneys, coffee beans and Baked Bean merchandise such as mugs and tote bags.
