Family-run bakery reopens Helmsley deli following £750k transformation

Thomas the Baker, the family-run craft bakery, has reopened its Thomas of Helmsley delicatessen following the completion of a £750k refurbishment.

Following work in 2016 to refurbish a separate outbuilding to create high grade kitchen and butchery preparation areas, work has taken place over the summer both inside and outside the premises.

Along with the securing of walls and foundations, a full internal refit was undertaken, with new deli and butchery counters, several new ovens for the bakery, a rear extension and a new rear roof.

The upstairs staff rooms have also been entirely renovated and a fresh new exterior appearance will be revealed.

The deli fully reopened to the public on Friday 15th September.

The deli now incorporates the Thomas the Baker bakery, which was previously based across the Market Place in the North Yorkshire town of Helmsley.

The last day of trading in Thomas the Baker’s current premises was on 14th September. All of the staff working in both Helmsley stores have remained employed within new shop.

A Grand Opening will take place in store all day Saturday 30th September. The event will see demonstrations and samplings from celebrity chef Stephanie Moon, who will be showing people how to use a wide range of products available in the deli.

Stephanie regularly works with Thomas the Baker to help create recipes for both the deli and the firm’s chain of 30 bake shops.

She will be assisted by the deli’s team of in-house experts who will be on hand to answer questions and give tips and advice to customers, including Mike the Master Butcher, Steve the Artisan Bread Baker and Trevor the Chef.

John Thomas, founder of Thomas the Baker, said: “It’s fantastic to be so close to the finishing line now – the work has taken longer than we expected and, as is always the case when working with such a historic and beautiful building, you always find more things as you go along!

“But we’re delighted with the end result, which looks great, and is much more practical in terms of what we want to offer. We hope it will be a big hit with both new and loyal customers.

“The shop, incorporating both the deli and Thomas the Baker, will be up and running from 15th September, so people can pop in for a look around whenever they like. Not only will there be a difference in terms of appearance, but we’ll also be able to offer a much wider range of products, so it’s a positive for shoppers in the town too.

“We also hope to see lots of members of the local community on 30th September for our Grand Opening. It should be great fun, and Stephanie and the team will make sure there’s plenty of tasty treats on offer and no doubt pan loads of inspiration!

“Our new facilities mean we can offer many more ready-to-eat products, so it will be good to let people try them for themselves. During the day we will also be running competitions for younger shoppers to win prizes, so there’s something for all ages.”

Thomas the Baker was established in 1981, with the opening of a Bakery in Malton, quickly followed by Helmsley a year later. It now stands at 30 shops across Yorkshire, along with a head office based in Helmsley.