[title]
Where there’s a Gail’s, there’s likely a population of yummy mummies, intimate wine bars and eye-widening average house prices. So, you’d think the fancy bakery chain would be right at home in the Walthamstow Village, one of the most gentrified parts of north London.
But turns out, a new Gail’s is not so welcome. Although it’s known for being a quiet and bougie area (thereby ticking all of the Gail’s boxes) Walthamstow Village residents have launched a campaign against a Gail’s bakery coming to their neck of the woods.
Why? Because they believe it would threaten independent local businesses and undermine Walthamstow’s sense of character.
In a petition on Change.org, campaigners wrote: ‘Gail’s, although respected for their quality, bring a risk of overshadowing our much-loved local stores due to their massive scale and advertising reach. This could lead to decreased visibility and pedestrian traffic towards independently run businesses, threatening their very existence and dismantling the character and diversity crucial to Walthamstow’s charm.’
At the time of writing, the petition has garnered 259 signatures out of the 500 that it’s aiming for. Gail’s might just be one gentrification step too far for northeast London’s poshest.
Time Out Walthamstow
Support ’Stow’s independents by checking out some of the best restaurants it has to offer and taking a look at our guides to Blackhorse Lane, Orford Road and Hoe Street, as well as our overall Walthamstow area guide. And for tip-top bakeries that aren’t Gail’s, head to our list of London’s most brilliant bakehouses.
So east London it hurts? Follow our Time Out East London WhatsApp channel for the latest news, openings and goss from the coolest bit of the capital. (Yeah, we said it.)
Stay in the loop: sign up to our free Time Out London newsletter for the best of the city, straight to your inbox.