Bakery opens at Sarehole Mill

• Famous Birmingham gem, Sarehole Mill, is back baking for the people of Birmingham thanks to the launch of its new bakery.
• A new modern-day bakery has opened, and the Victorian bakehouse has been restored.
• Visitors will now be able to enjoy freshly baked produce in the café and buy loaves of bread from the shop, taking home their own slice of history.

The smell of freshly baked goods will be welcoming visitors to Sarehole Mill, following the launch of its new modern-day bakery and the restoration of the site’s Victorian bakehouse. It has been nearly 150 years since the original bakehouse was in action at this famous historic property, but the site will now, once again, bake for the people of Birmingham.

The Millers Tea Room now serves up tempting sweet treats, light lunches and pizzas, all freshly baked in the new bakery. The onsite café is accessible to anyone during Sarehole Mill’s opening hours, so you don’t have to be visiting the historic mill to stop by for food or pop in for a coffee and a cookie.

Loaves of bread and sweet snacks are also for sale in the shop, encouraging nearby residents to shop local. What’s more, profits from the bakery all support Birmingham Museums Trust to continue to care for the city’s collection and to deliver its award-winning education programmes.

The project has also seen the original bakehouse restored and it will be fired up on event days to demonstrate traditional baking techniques.

As part of the project, Sarehole Mill has welcomed a new baker, Sis Kaur, to its team. Sis follows in the footsteps of the Mill’s last baker, William Anderton, who retired in 1872.

Alex Nicholson-Evans, Commercial Director at Birmingham Museums Trust, said: “This is a very exciting time for Sarehole Mill. The new bakery will provide a fantastic route for local residents to shop local for delicious freshly baked treats, whilst giving the Mill’s visitors a very literal taste of history. All this whilst also helping Sarehole Mill to become sustainable! What better excuse to eat pizza or buy a loaf, than to help protect the city’s heritage?

“We were blown away by the response on our soft launch at the weekend. Despite stormy weather over 400 people came out to support us. We can’t wait to welcome even more visitors through the doors, whether they want to pick up a loaf to enjoy at home or stay for lunch in our charming tea room.”

Sarehole Mill is famous for providing the inspiration for author J.R.R. Tolkien’s classic works The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings. It is home to a tranquil mill pond which is a haven for wildlife including herons, mallards and moorhens.

The bakery and café are open during Sarehole Mill opening hours, including throughout the Birmingham February half term holiday. Visit birminghammuseums.org.uk/sarehole for full opening hours or visit the Bakehouse Instagram @sareholebakehouse to find out more.

The bakehouse project has been kindly supported by H. B. Allen Charitable Trust and Arts Council England.