Bakers poll splits opinion

In a poll distributed by the Tribune in early February, we asked readers if they wanted a Bakers Delight in Yass, following a Facebook post which asked a similar question. 

Of the three options in the poll, there was one clear loser. Only 17.33% of respondents said that Yass needs no more bakeries. 

The two other responses, however, were almost split down the middle. 

41.58% of respondents said that they want a Bakers Delight in Yass, to broaden the available range of baked goods. 

Meanwhile, 41.09% said that, although they did want more bakeries in Yass, they believe that local businesses should fill the void. 

It turns out, many of the local businesses feel the same way. 

Andrew Dodd, of the popular Yass deli Thyme to Taste, said that he would unequivocally prefer to support local businesses. 

“We didn’t come her ten years ago to see franchises move in, we can go to Sydney for that,” Mr Dodd said. 

The difference as Mr Dodd sees it, is the style of bread provided by Bakers Delight as compared to the more “artisanal”  flavour preferred by independent bakers. 

“I don’t think there’s a need for a Bakers Delight-style bread,” Mr Dodd said. 

“It’s a very soft, very homogenised bread, it’s not great bread at all.”

The primary preclusion for a local baker would be the cost, Mr Dodd said. 

“It would be a lot of hours on anyone who does it,” he said. 

“It’s a big expense as well … to fit out a shop, it’s gonna be a couple of hundred thousand.” 

Sophie Peer, an employee of Trader and Co who owns her own juice business, also errs toward the side of local business, however she did concede that some good may come from having part of a corporate chain in town. 

“The amount of time we get asked for bread … every day,” Ms Peer said. 

“My preference is for a local, but we just don’t have the capital in Yass. 

“That said, it does a lot for a town like this to have a name like Bakers Delight come in. 

“When you’re a small business as we are, having something like Abode put their money behind the Yass Valley says something to us, it reaffirms our investment.”

But Ms Peer is aware, just like Mr Dodd, that opening a bakery would be a massive investment for a private business owner, however she had a couple of suggestions as to ways of diverting the cost. 

“I’d love to see some kind of interesting options around that,” Ms Peer said. 

“Whether it’s community-funded, whether it’s, like Trader is, a collective of businesses that come in together.

“I think it can be done and I would 100% prefer it to be a local.”