A husband-and-wife team started a bakery from the kitchen of their York home – and Press readers say it’s now one of the best in the city.
Bluebird Bakery, in Acomb Road, has been nominated for The Press Best Bakery competition.
Readers can vote for the Best Bakery 2024 by picking up copies of The Press newspaper until Saturday, September 14, with the winner set to be announced the week of Monday, September 23.
Nicky and Al Kippax started Bluebird Bakery in 2011 from their home in Bishophill and have since grown the business to sites across York, Malton and Leeds.
They opened the café and bakery in Acomb Road in 2021, following success at a market stall which led to its shops in Talbot Yard, in Malton; Kirkgate Market in Leeds; and Little Shambles, in York.
Nicky and Al said they were “absolutely delighted” to be nominated for The Press Best Bakery competition.
“We started this business from the kitchen of our house in Bishophill just over a decade ago and we use the same methods we used back then: hand-shaping and long-fermentation, with no need for any additives,” they said in a statement.
“Our team has grown but we are still a family-run bakery and make everything from scratch and by hand, so the fact that customers value our products enough to nominate us means a lot.
“To win this competition would be wonderful – for us of course, but also for our team who work incredibly hard to keep our customers happy with delicious bread, cakes and pastries baked daily.”
As The Press reported at the time, the Acomb venue is the couple's first café and they drew on their own experience as parents of two children to ensure it was welcoming and spacious for young families, and accessible.
“We've had a fantastic reception from Acomb and incredible customers,” Nick said when marking the venue’s first year in business.
"It was a risk to open a café, especially after lockdown. We had no idea we'd be so busy so we just started with a handful of staff, only expecting a trickle of customers throughout the day.
"But it's crazy how busy we've been since day one, and we now have a bigger team of great baristas and bakers and the menu has more variety.
"We got welcome cards from local people and the local business network has been really supportive, the Lord Mayor came to cut the ribbon.
"We get a real mix of lovely customers from Acomb, from students to those new to the area and those who have lived here for a while."
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