Famed for its top-quality pastries, coffee and sourdough loaves (and its premium prices), Gail’s bakery is set to be the newest addition to Primrose Hill’s café and bakery scene, with a store opening on Gloucester Avenue next year.
Taking over from liquidated independent delicatessen Melrose and Morgan, the new Gail’s will sit a 10-minute walk from two other Gail’s, in Camden Market and Parkway. However, residents are less than impressed about the chain’s impending arrival.
Speaking to the Camden New Journal, community campaigner Phil Cowan said: “The proposed store will represent yet another rung on the ladder towards identikit retail environments, which is both sad and ironic considering that people so enthusiastically celebrate Primrose Hill just as it is – a proudly independent village.”
While some residents and business owners said they hoped the new Gail’s would bring more customers to the area, others criticised the chain, likening it to a “steamroller” of independent businesses.
In 2002, Starbucks planned to open a café in the neighbourhood, which was met with backlash from residents including Jude Law and Neneh Cherry. Camden Council received more than 1,300 letters of objection in response to the proposed plans, with the American coffee chain eventually backing out.
However, this isn’t the first time that Gail’s – which boasts more than 130 stores across the UK – has been met with backlash when planning to open stores. In August, Worthing locals unsuccessfully fought against the opening of the chain in their seaside town.
More notably, last month, the chain opened a branch in London’s Walthamstow Village – plans for which sparked outcry among residents, who started a petition to prevent the store’s opening. Despite receiving more than 1,800 signatures to protect the “unique identity” of the community, the café’s opening still went ahead.
