Tony and Leanne Armstrong, proud owners of the newly opened British Pride Bakery, welcome customers with a taste of traditional British treats.
By Pamela Collins
After many years in business, Wimpy’s Diner has closed its doors at the Rylander Plaza and we now welcome British Pride Bakery.
I arrived there on opening day to see a long line of customers who were very excited to see what they would find. As the doors opened and we all filed in, classic Beatles tracks played overhead, creating an atmosphere steeped in British charm. Everyone was in awe walking up and down the aisles marveling at all the goods on display. I heard English, Scottish, Irish and East Indian accents as they chose items they were familiar with from their homelands and I could feel the buzz of excitement in the air.
I saw cookies and other familiar items that brought back memories of childhood visits to Marks and Spencer during its time in Toronto. I also noticed a few aisles of dry goods, a wall of freezer items, including smoked haddock, black pudding and even haggis!
There was a long line up that day for the bakery section as they sell many varieties of meat pies, Cornish pasties as well as sweets: scones, Scottish buns, Victoria sponge, Empire biscuits and fern tarts to name a few. Although incredibly busy, the servers were friendly and excited too.
I spoke with owners, Tony and Leanne Armstrong, about the business and he explained this location is one of ten that have opened in Canada with locations including Mississauga, Cambridge, Kingston and Halifax. They bought the Crawford Scottish butcher in Cambridge when they retired and continue to make products such as black pudding and haggis so everything is made in house. If a customer wants fresh rather than frozen goods, they will take orders, especially for occasions such as Robbie Burns Day.
I remarked that many of the products seemed reasonably priced compared to other British stores around Ontario. Tony explained that their goal is to provide everyday shopping at affordable prices and he is able to import goods at 40 to 50% cheaper than other businesses.
We all welcome this “British invasion” not just for their lovely pastries but as a cultural food centre that sells items we cannot find in our usual grocery stores; and for some, it’s just a wee taste of home!