CONTROVERSIAL BAKERY ACCUSED OF 'DESTROYING' GRADE II-LISTED BUILDING

A trendy bakery chain has caused fury after it tore the old wooden doors from a listed building in a historic market town.

Gail's Bakery ditched the old oak doors when it set up a new branch in the former NatWest Bank in Lewes.

It said the doors did not fit their modern shopfront requirements and replaced them with glass doors.

But residents in Lewes, a town with a history dating back to the 6th century, are furious.

They have accused the bakery of 'destroying' their heritage and 'ruining' the character of the town centre.

One resident said: 'It is outrageous what Gail's Bakery has done. How dare they destroy the heritage of our proud town.

'They have gone about this in a completely insensitive and ham-fisted fashion. They've ruined the character of the old bank which has been there since the 17th century.'

He added: 'This is an ancient town which has a history stretching back more than 1000 years and we are proud of our heritage. This trendy bakery should have realised this.'

Another said the original door matched the building 'perfectly', adding: 'The new door looks cheap and not in keeping with the style and prominence of the building.'

Another resident said: 'This is a major public relations blunder. If they were hoping to attract local people into coming in and buying their produce then they've gone about it the wrong way. Very heavy-handed, clumsy and insensitive.'

The move is the latest backlash against the popular bakery chain which has been accused of jeopardising the livelihood of traditional bakeries and cafes across Britain with its rapid expansion.

Gail's took over the former bank building in Lewes last May after the closure of the NatWest Bank.

The building, which was built in 1770, is Grade II-listed, although the corner entrance was a later addition.

Gail's applied for planning and listed building consent for various exterior works but their plans did not include removing the original timber doors.

When the South Downs National Park (SDNP) demanded bakery bosses reinstate the original doors Gail's applied for retrospective planning permission which was refused.

Gail's has now submitted an appeal to keep the doors claiming they were 'weathered and damaged'.

It argues that as a retail business, the bakery needed to make the entrance more open than the bank had, and that glazed doors are an important part of its shopfront.

Gail's said the wooden doors probably date from 1984 but drawings from the 1930s show the doors apparently in place.

The bakery is now appealing the refusal to the planning inspectorate, arguing the condition of the door made it too dangerous to put back.

Its appeal statement says that while the wooden doors contributed to the building's overall appearance they were not original to the 1770 construction and were installed to the requirements of a bank.

It says: 'Needless to say, the door in question became weathered, damaged, and unfit for continued use as part of a commercial operation.

'Retention of the original door would have been unsafe and pose a security risk to both customers and the commercial operator itself.'

However SDNP's planning officer Larissa Brooks said: 'The dark wood solid door reiterates the sense of power, safety and security which were qualities conveyed by banks to reassure customers.

'This in combination with the large scale of the building, the elevation detail of ashlar and historic plaques conveys a character, and architectural and historic interest that contributes positively to the character and appearance of the wider conservation area.'

She said the previous tenant, NatWest, had kept the door permanently open and installed glass doors in front of it to create a glass lobby, as several other nearby businesses do.

She said Gail's removed the doors before getting planning permission for other changes, despite knowing it was a listed building, and knowing the removal was unacceptable.

She added: 'The applicant also states that the doors were no longer fit for use and were badly damaged. The LPA have not been given an opportunity to assess the doors as they were removed prior to the site visit.

'However, photos of the site show the doors in a fine condition and if they were suffering from wear and tear, they are certainly not beyond reasonable repair – this is therefore not a justification for their complete removal and replacement with doors of a completely different materiality and design.'

Gail's Bakery has been approached for comment.

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2025-02-06T11:11:35Z