The story begins with our grandfather Ern Down, when he left school and he started at Allwood’s Bakery - where he trained as a confectioner.

During the Second World War he served as a chef with the tank corps and was stationed in Malta during the siege. On his return from Malta he resumed working as a confectioner at Allwood’s, where he met our Grandmother Joan.

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In 1962 Ern and Joan, with the help of their daughter Angela (our aunt) they opened Speedwell Bakery in Ventnor Road – it was a real family institution as their son Chris started working for them in 1963, with Ern passing on all his baking knowledge. It was very successful and always busy, a few years later they opened a second shop in Whitehall Road.

Chris gained numerous skills working in other industries before settling back into the family bakery in 1974. He married Diane and had four fabulous kids (we would say that) and on 2nd January 1982 they started their own bakery on Filton Road, this was the original Down’s Bakery.

Also, in 1982 Angela opened her own shop also called Speedwell Bakery in Mangotsfield.

 

The original Speedwell Bakeries continued to do well until Ern and Joan retired and sold them in 1987. Angela continued at her shop changing the name to Angela’s Bakery, she sold this bakery in 1989.

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Down’s Bakery was an instant success and this continues today. Over the years there have been shops in Filton Road, Filton Avenue, Southmead Road, St Nicolas Market and of course the current shops at Church View, Filton and Beach Road, Severn Beach.

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We started at Church View over twenty years ago and continues to be our busiest shop, this has been with the support of staff from nearby companies and of course our local customers.

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The Down’s family moved to Pilning in 1990 during the building of the Second Severn Crossing, Chris and Diane noticed that there were very few places to eat in the vicinity, so in 1995 they opened a Down’s Bakery in Severn Beach.

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Thinking it would be a short-term venture during the construction of the bridge, but how very wrong they were… the locals loved us and are still supporting us today along with the businesses at Western Approach and any construction working in the area.

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Down’s Bakery has been trading for nearly forty years. Over the years we have served hundreds of businesses and thousands of customers, now with Chris and Diane taking a back seat and getting a well-earned rest, we hope to continue the family business with Steven running the bakery (he can keep the early mornings), Nicola running the shop at Severn Beach and Sam ensuring that all the back-office operations run smoothly.

We thank you for all the years of, hopefully continued, support.

Steve Down, Nicola Hills and Sam Croft