October 5, 2011
Dunbar set to be nourished
Food is such a fundamental part of life. Yet for many of us our sense of where the food we eat comes from (and what goes into it) has become confused. The magnificent Pearce Institute in Govan hosted last week’s two day gathering of Nourish – Scotland’s fast growing network of local food growers, processers and consumers. This commitment and enthusiasm for locally produced food is no short term fad. If you can get to Dunbar tomorrow, you’ll start to understand why
Scotland’s first community-owned bakery will open in Dunbar on October 6th. Called simply “The Bakery,” it will offer residents of Dunbar and the surrounding area tasty wholesome artisan bread that is made and baked on the premises.
The initiative was motivated by a desire to revive retail activity on Dunbar’s picturesque High Street, to promote healthy eating, and to create local jobs.
Like many small towns in Scotland, Dunbar needs an innovative way to regenerate its town centre and create growth and investment.
Dunbar Community Bakery was set up as a community cooperative after the town’s last home bakery shut down in 2008 when its owners retired.
Some 300 local residents contributed £38,000 through a share issue. The rest of the start up capital came from grants and loans.
Shareholders in this novel enterprise will not receive any dividend payment. But they will be entitled to a 10% discount every time they pop into The Bakery for a loaf of bread, a hot pie or some morning rolls.
Scotland has lost more than half its home bakeries over the past 30 years as people have turned to supermarkets, chains of commercial bakeries and fast food outlets instead.
But The Bakery in Dunbar aims to capitalise on a growing demand for artisan bread made by hand in the traditional manner without chemical additives.