Wolverhampton branch of Medicine Bakery to open next weekend

Medicine Bakery, originally established in Codsall, will open within the historic Chubb Buildings in the city and offer a range of goodies.

The popular company already has a base in Codsall, on Station Road, and has other sites on New Street and The Mailbox in Birmingham.

Simon Jones, who runs the bakery with his wife Francesca, said they were putting their "heart and soul" into the new store, which opens on Sunday, May 22.

Mr Jones, who lives in Codsall with his wife, added: "We used to run The Medicine Bar and originally it was an events space at the Custard Factory (in Digbeth).

"We were pretty famous in those days, but we got out of the night-time scene and we got ourselves a little cafe in Codsall. We live in Codsall ourselves and we trained ourselves to bake in a traditional, artisan way, and took the name from the bar to the bakery.

"The one in Codsall became the main production bakery, we opened one on New Street, another in The Mailbox as well as opening in Selfridges in September. We needed a bigger production facility and because we're from Wolverhampton, we wanted it to be in our home town and we've been searching for sites.

"I'm 55 and I remember the Chubb Buildings in its heyday – there's no more beautiful site in the country. And it was a little bit like being a part of the regeneration of the city centre – it needs a bit of energy and we want to help and be a part of that."

Mr Jones said the goods, including popular ranges such as sourdough bread and cronuts among others, would be produced at the site for each of their shops in the region – and they would also be sold in the city in a brunch and cafe-esque area.

There is set to be a launch party on May 22 when they will be joined by Digbeth Dining Club for the special occasion. And, after that, the artisan bakery will be open seven days a week from 7am to 4pm.

"We're massively excited," Mr Jones said. "For me, I've done a lot of work outside the city. There's a lot of heart and soul going into this one because it's my home town, where my children have gone to school, and we're in a world class venue. We're lucky to be a tenant here."

Originally built in 1898, the Chubb Buildings served as the headquarters for the Chubb & Sons Lock & Safe Company for many years and is an important landmark in the city centre.

Locks and safes were manufactured at the premises and assembled by hand for distribution all around the world. The building was renovated through the 1980s and 1990s before being converted and extended to include a cinema and to provide a new media and creative arts centre for the city.