Fred’s Home Bakery, Albemarle Road, in Press Best Bakery bid

And now Press readers have shown their support for it, by nominating the business for our Best Bakery competition.

Fred’s Home Bakery, in Albemarle Road, has been hailed one of the best in the city.

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.

Fred with the large vanilla slices made by his son Andrew at Fred's Home Bakery (Image: Dylan Connell)

Fred Thomas started the business 44 years ago after training at Woolgrove Master Bakers and in the bakery at Terry’s.

The bakery “sells everything”, he says, which includes products made using the recipes he learned at Terry’s and new crazes like sourdough bread.

A selection of bread at Fred's Home Bakery which Press readers say is one of the best in York (Image: Dylan Connell)

“There’s always something new coming along,” Fred adds.

Shelves at the South Bank bakery, which also has a shop in Bishopthorpe, are stocked with a wide range of products.

A sourdough loaf for sale at Fred's Home Bakery which Press readers say is one of the best in York (Image: Dylan Connell)

These are all made at the site in Albemarle Road and include a selection of bread and bread rolls – which Fred says he sells hundreds of per week – tarts, scones, pies and all kinds of treats like large vanilla slices, iced fingers and flapjacks. The team also makes unique birthday and wedding cakes.

Customers call every morning for bacon rolls and again at lunch for a sandwich.

'I’ve had customers come in here from when they were kids at school and now they come in with their kids,' says Fred

Fred says he’s served generations of customers over the years. “I’ve had customers come in here from when they were kids at school, and now they come in with their kids.”

How does this make him feel? “Old,” he laughs, adding: “We get some lovely customers coming in here.”

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The 73-year-old explains that he was meant to retire years ago but this never happened.

Fred still starts work at 2am but says the main running of the business is now handled by his sons, Andrew and Paul Thomas, and daughter, Kay Rafton.

Fred Thomas, left, with his daughter Kay Rafton and son Andrew Thomas (Image: Dylan Connell)

“I like it here,” he replies, when asked what’s kept him at it after four decades. “It’s hard work but to me it’s rewarding. We get customers saying, ‘You’re great Fred’. There’s a lot of bakeries closing down.”

On the nomination for The Press Best Bakery competition, Fred says: “I’m pleased about that, after all these years.”

He’s no stranger to the pages of The Press, appearing in the newspaper when he made a huge Yorkshire Pudding which was displayed at the Knavesmire and again when he baked a massive Christmas Cake (with a circumference of 52in), which was sold by the slice at Debenhams in York for charity.

Flashback to 2017: Fred Thomas holding the one-of-a-kind giant wheatsheaf, which he took on tour around local churches and schools during their harvest festivals (Image: David Harrison)

In 2017 we told how Fred baked an enormous one-of-a-kind giant wheatsheaf, which he took on tour around local churches and schools during their harvest festivals.

“With a bit of flour you can make so much,” he says.