Opposition to Gail's Bakery in seaside town

There were mixed feelings about a new Gail's Bakery in Warwick Street, Worthing

A bakery chain has faced some opposition ahead of its opening in a West Sussex town.

Gail’s Bakery has plans to open in Warwick Street, Worthing, but some independent business owners said they were worried they would lose trade.

One café manager said business is "starting to dwindle" and they have already felt an impact from other chains that have moved into the town.

Gail's Bakery said it "understands the concern" but "a healthy high street is one with a diversity of quality offers, each delivering their best".

'Not too happy'

“We’re not too happy about it,” Mirko Laganaro, manager of Bites Café in Warwick Street, told BBC Radio Sussex.

“We’re pretty welcoming and love to see new people coming into the area but unfortunately a chain store coming into the area, it does mean less business for us smaller businesses.

“Business is starting to dwindle a little bit, so it’s getting increasingly more difficult.

"Any major chain that seems to be getting a foothold is simply a foothold we’re losing in our own community.

“We just had the Greggs that opened up, there’s been a couple other chains.”

Mirko Laganaro is concerned the chain will cause other businesses to lose trade

The Worthing Society wrote in response to the café’s planning application for illuminated signage, stating that it would be “overly dominant and set a precedent”.

Gail’s was set up in 2005 and has 130 stores across the UK, three of which are in Brighton and Hove.

The chain in Seven Dials was daubed with the words “boring” before it opened in January this year.

'Competition is healthy'

Howver other business owners welcomed the move and said shops like Gail’s were important for Worthing’s growth.

Aaron Coleman, head chef and owner of Vudu restaurant, said: “I’m absolutely thrilled the shop has been taken. I think a bakery and chain is great for the growth of Worthing.

“You can’t grow a town without chain businesses like Gail’s. As much as it might affect other businesses, I think it’s great for the town. Competition is healthy.”

Jane Hill, owner of Room With a View Fine Art said: “Anything but an empty shop, I’m all for it. I have seen businesses come and go. We need more footfall in the town.”

A Gail’s Bakery spokesperson said: "High streets evolve over time, and we open our small bakeries often in closed banks or stranded restaurants. All of our bakeries exist in areas where the choices are wide and growing – we should be celebrating the improvement in our food landscapes.

“Bringing our bakery to Worthing, with such a dynamic and thriving food scene, is something we’ve wanted to do for a while.

"We’re looking forward to having a small footprint in a place that we love and admire, and are excited to fire up our ovens for the Worthing community.”

A spokesperson for Worthing Borough Council said: “This premises was a restaurant previously and, as there is no change of use with the new occupant, planning permission from the council is not required.

“We have received a planning application for illuminated signage, which is currently under consideration by our planning team.”