MasterChef winner and local restauranteur Jamie Scott has opened a fourth Newport Bakery, this time in his hometown Arbroath.
The Guthrie Port venue is the chef’s second new bakery to open this year, following the firm’s expansion to St Andrews in May.
As Jamie has lived a lot of his life in the town – including when he competed on MasterChef: The Professionals in 2014 – its been on his radar since the Newport Bakery was born.
“It’s been one of the ones we’ve tiptoed around the most since we opened the bakery in Newport two years ago,” he says.
“It is in many ways like coming home. The shop we’ve taken over was one of my favourite roll shops as well.”
Newport Bakery Arbroath local favourite
The Newport Bakery in Arbroath offers a full bakery counter with breads and pastries, granolas, jams, chutneys and a full deli counter.
It has now been open for three weeks, and many locals have already been in more than 10 times to buy Jamie’s baked goods.
“We’ve already got that local support which is absolutely fundamental for a small business like ours,” he says.
“The people in Arbroath are so lovely, so we’ve already built up a really good client base.”
Located just across from the Abbey, the entrepreneur had a clear goal in mind for the shop in terms of bringing it in line with the three exciting venues.
But the Newport Bakery in Arbroath is dramatically different in one way.
Potential new bakeries on the horizon
Jamie says: “We viewed it on a Friday, got the keys on a Monday and I opened it on a Wednesday.
“Which is crazy for us, because normally we go in and do a full rebuild and restructure. People will know from other shops we have that they’re bespoke and kitted out.
“This one came with some of the key equipment, so we’re in with a skeleton team now until the end of the year because it seemed pointless to leave it empty until January.
“It went very quickly, so we’ve got plans to close at the start of January and do a full restructure, put a beautiful counter and new equipment in, so it’ll look completely different.”
As well as focusing on the new bakery, a separate part of the chef’s empire has taken a step into wholesale.
Now beginning to work with The Old Course in St Andrews, it could also see the business move towards Edinburgh in the new year.
Despite being busy with other projects, including his restaurant The Newport and various street food businesses, Jamie doesn’t rule out more Newport Bakeries in the future.
“I do have two other places I would like to open up, but I’ve got to persuade my wife to let me,” he laughs.
“If we do open a new shop, it will be maybe one next year, but the location is not confirmed yet.”
