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GFC Awards 2026/7 Bakery of the Year: Breadmill Bakery, Nottingham
Bakery of the Year Finalists 2026/7
The top public vote-winners:
- Coosh Micro Bakery, Nottingham
- Baines Bakery, Uppingham
- The Tiny Bakery, Leicester
- Breadmill Bakery, Nottingham
Bakery of the Year 2026/7: Breadmill Bakery
Breadmill Bakery at Sneinton Market in Nottingham is our Great Food Club Bakery of the Year 2026/7.
Founder and baker Bryan Henesey (pictured) has created something special. Breadmill is small, open and refreshingly down to earth, with Bryan baking in full view of his customers. You can see the craft taking place in front of you and, if you want to talk bread, you’ll find an approachable baker who is happy to share his enthusiasm.
Bryan spent a decade working as a journalist before changing direction and retraining as a baker. After working in bakery kitchens around the region, he opened Breadmill at Sneinton Market in 2023. His products now attract queues, and the operation retains the feel of a no-frills artisan bakery.
The bread is first class. On our judging visit we bought an excellent sourdough: deeply flavoured, well fermented and exactly the sort of straightforward loaf that shows the skill of the baker behind it.
But Breadmill also stands out for Bryan’s more inventive creations. We tried his umami bun, a vegan-friendly bake combining gochujang, spring onions and miso with a maple syrup glaze and kimchi and nori powders. It is typical of Breadmill’s ability to move between classic breadmaking and more playful ideas.
Local connections run through the bakery too. Breadmill has teamed up with fellow Nottingham independent Neon Raptor Brewing Co to create a stout porridge loaf, while some of its freshly milled organic flour comes from Nottingham Mill Co-op, based just a couple of avenues away at Sneinton Market.
The latter makes for an unusually short, intriguing and transparent supply chain. Grain grown by local farmers is stone-milled in Sneinton before some of that fresh flour makes the tiny journey across the market to Bryan’s bakery. In a city with a long milling history, represented nearby by Green’s Windmill, it feels appropriate.
Breadmill’s reputation is growing well beyond Sneinton. In 2026 it was named among The Good Food Guide’s 50 Best Bakeries in Britain – recognition that feels deserved.
What impressed our judges most, however, was the combination of excellent bread, imagination, approachability and artisan craft. Bryan makes the products in front of his customers, takes sourcing seriously and works closely with other independents. Breadmill is friendly, accessible, high quality and unpretentious.
For outstanding sourdough, inventive baking, strong local connections and the passion of the baker behind it, Breadmill Bakery is our Great Food Club Bakery of the Year 2026/7.
The other finalists
Coosh Micro Bakery, Nottingham
Coosh Micro Bakery in Mapperley was founded by husband-and-wife team Rachel and Tom Egan. Everything is made from scratch on site, from small-batch breads and sourdough to pastries, cakes and bagels, with slow production methods and no additives or improvers.
Coosh has built a loyal local following since opening in 2022, with customers regularly buying bread and a growing range of delicious products, including some superbly inventive sandwiches. Its combination of skilled baking, creativity and strong community support earned it a thoroughly deserved place in the final.
Baines Bakery, Uppingham
Baines Bakery represents a very different strand of British baking. Founded in 1867, the Uppingham business is now run by the fifth generation of the Baines family from its characterful 17th-century premises.
Fresh bread, sausage rolls, cakes, buns and seasonal bakes are all produced on site, alongside a selection of local food and drink. Its longevity is remarkable, but Baines remains a living, working bakery rather than a piece of history – and that helped take it into this year’s final four.
The Tiny Bakery, Leicester
The Tiny Bakery on Leicester’s Clarendon Park Road has been a Great Food Club favourite for years. As its name suggests, it is a small operation, but the counter offers an impressive range of artisan pastries, sourdough and yeasted breads, cakes and savoury bakes.
The baking is creative without losing sight of the classics, with everything from croissants and sourdough to seasonal swirls, tarts and vegan options. Add good coffee and friendly service and it remains one of Leicester’s strongest and most-loved food independents.
Congratulations to Breadmill Bakery, Coosh Micro Bakery, Baines Bakery and The Tiny Bakery on reaching the Great Food Club Awards 2026/7 Bakery of the Year final.
