A family-owned bakery in Chester has been named among some of the finest in Britain.
Bear Bakery, which is tucked away in Unit 47 of the CoWorkz estate in Minerva Avenue, was recently listed in British Bakers’ Best Artisan Bakeries 2026.
Since 2020, Frankie Parry and her husband Nick have built a loyal customer base with their finely crafted takes on classic breads, pastries and pies.
“It’s nice that the bakeries listed are so varied, it’s a really nice mix and is great to shine a light on some of us who maybe don’t get as much recognition” said Frankie.
Nick, who previously worked as a chef, and Frankie, who had supplied cafés with home-baked goods, went into business together during the pandemic to give people in the city access to ‘real bread’ and ‘proper sourdough’, something at the time Frankie says was hard to find.
Frankie said: “It’s a community that we’ve built up with small local wholesalers and customers that have been with us for years.
“Sometimes people will go ‘Did you know that they exist?’ because we’re quite hidden away.”
Their small but tight-knit team work hard to ensure that the bakery is fully stocked throughout the week, often putting in 12 to 16-hour days starting from 4.30am, but Frankie says it’s ‘so nice’ when they hear that a customer has enjoyed one of their bakes.
The bakery also offers a pre-order service via their website, ensuring customers can pick up their favourites without worrying about them selling out.
For the full story, see Chester Standard