Cleint: Baglan Bakery

Our Services: Architectural Design

Status: Complete

Baglan Bakery is a long-standing independent bakery located on the high street in Port Talbot, serving the local community through both a retail frontage and a busy commercial catering operation. The project brief set out to modernise the bakery’s internal environment, responding to operational pressures, food safety requirements and changing customer expectations, while retaining the character and working rhythm of a much-loved local business.

The existing bakery had evolved incrementally over time, resulting in a back-of-house layout that was densely packed, multi-functional and increasingly inefficient. Equipment had been added where space allowed rather than through a considered workflow, and hot and cold preparation activities were occurring in close proximity. In the front-of-house, dated display fridges, limited preparation space and a constrained customer route to purchase reduced both visual impact and functionality, despite strong footfall and a loyal customer base.

Our approach began with a detailed feasibility and measured survey, allowing the developed design to be grounded in accurate spatial data and a clear understanding of how the bakery operates day to day. The brief prioritised improvements to back-of-house efficiency and food safety, alongside a refreshed and more contemporary front-of-house experience that could support increased sales and smoother service.

In the back-of-house, the layout was rationalised to clearly separate preparation, cooking, washing and storage zones. New easy-clean vinyl flooring to the stairs and ground floor back-of-house was specified to meet food safety standards while providing a robust, low-maintenance finish.

The front-of-house design focused on clarity, flow and vibrancy. The layout was subtly adjusted to improve the customer journey from entrance to counter, with the till relocated to the side to open up the threshold and prioritise product display on arrival. A bespoke till and counter unit was designed to improve staff working conditions, incorporating dedicated sandwich preparation space and improved access to equipment. New floor finishes, tiled wall finishes behind the counter and a full redecoration were introduced to create a brighter, more contemporary retail environment that reflects the quality of the bakery’s produce.