New bakery for Botham’s of Whitby as it prepares to move production out of historical Skinner Street site

The family-owned company, which has produced its bread and cakes at its Skinner Street bakehouse in Whitby since the 19th century, said the move was would improve efficiency and help the business to grow.

Building work has started on the site, which is an extension of its existing Enterprise Way premises on Whitby Business Park.

Current production at its Skinner Street bakehouse will permanently move up to the new site and be operating within the year.

Jonathan Botham, managing director and great-grandson of founder Elizabeth Botham, said: “An ambitious and exciting adventure but also one born out of necessity.

“In the 1800s, Botham’s was built as just the shop and tea rooms frontage on Skinner Street; very similar to how you see them today. My family then started to develop behind the property to include a bakehouse where we currently make our bread and cakes.

“The bakery continued to evolve in stages, and, as such, the bakehouse is now on multiple levels connected by a network of stairs, ramps and an aging central lift – which is crucial to production - the opportunity to streamline production and to be all on one level will be a game-changer.”

He added: “The new bakery at Enterprise Way will enable us to radically change production, advance with technology and replace vital machinery without the ‘how-on-earth-do-we-get-that-up-the-stairs’ moments. The move will also see a reduction in large vehicle deliveries to Skinner Street which is narrow and one-way.

“It also helps us to improve efficiency; save both time and energy, and grow the business which helps us to keep baking into the future.”

The family has been planning the move for a number of years.

The first phase of the build will relocate the existing bakery, while phase two includes the development of a visitor experience and will develop the hospitality side of the new site.

Lois Borrett, director and great-great granddaughter of Elizabeth Botham, said: “It’s not about growing the business to be even bigger, it’s about enterprising to secure a future for the business as a whole.”

She added: “We feel that Botham’s is one of many integral elements of this wonderful town and we hope to keep it that way for years to come.”

The original Skinner Street shop and tea room, will remain in place.

Mr Botham added: “This move is purely of necessity. Our popular Skinner Street shop and tea rooms will remain in-situ, the only change for them will be a daily delivery of fresh bakery produce by our vans in the same way that we currently supply our other four shops & tea rooms.”

In 2000, the current generations of family bakers directed the build of its Enterprise Way Bakery, which saw the wrapped goods production move out of Skinner Street bakehouse up to Enterprise Way.

Mr Botham said: “We’ve never looked back after developing Enterprise Way and, like a double-edged sword, although we are grateful for the experience this has given us, we also know how much of a challenge the new build will be.

“I’m sure we will fuel our busy days well and like generations of our family before, who also faced lots of challenges along the way, we will always endeavour to keep baking.”

Botham’s of Whitby, which is famous for its Whitby Lemon Buns, has five shops located in Whitby, Sleights and Pickering, North Yorkshire.

Botham’s of Whitby has been a family-run craft bakery since 1865. It employs between 100 and 120 people depending on the season, and is still serving its original Victorian recipes - parkin and brack, ginger and plum breads.

It was founded by Elizabeth Botham who began by selling her bread and cakes from a basket at the local market and eventually bought the premises on Skinner Street.

Botham’s traditions are now continued by the fifth generation of her family. Her great-grandson Jo Botham is at the helm.

Her great-great-granddaughters Kay, Anita and Lois are also directors in the business.