Nostalgia and humour as shoppers queue at Firkins

People queued around the block on opening day and have continued to since then

Two-hour queues have stretched around the block for a bakery that has reopened after a decade, as fans line up for crusty cobs and pineapple tarts.

Firkins, famed for traditional cakes and pastries, was founded in West Bromwich in 1870 with a reputation for award-winning pork pies, and went on to expand across the Black Country, Birmingham and into Staffordshire.

The firm closed its high street bakeries 10 years ago, but last Wednesday it returned to West Bromwich with the opening of a store in Sandwell Council's indoor market.

Customers have greeted the new stall with emotion and nostalgia, owner Rob Green said, many remembering visiting Firkins as children.

"We've had a lot of tears," Mr Green said, "with people coming in and saying: 'Oh, this was my mum's favourite'."

He had also heard from people who were told as children that they had to be good or they would not be taken to Firkins.

Rob Green said people had come in with nostalgia and humour for Firkins

Queues have been forming from 08:00 BST, two hours before the bakery opens.

Mr Green said they had expected "a bit of a buzz" on launch day, but the excitement had continued, with the shop selling out every day.

"It's fantastic," he said. "Every single day there's been a queue at least to the door, usually around the corner.

"The average waiting time I think has been between an hour and a half to two hours, but we are moving everybody as quickly as possible."

He said: "We've increased how much we're producing each day, every day, and it's still not enough."

Mr Green said other high street shop keepers and market traders had also benefitted - with owners describing the buzz as being "the best for years".

The most popular items had been lemon iced buns followed by pineapple tarts, he said.

Crusty cobs have also flown off the shelf, he said, adding: "If they haven't got crusty cobs and they've only got soft left, the faces that people pull are quite funny."