New Pettigrew Breadquarters Opens in Cardiff with Theatre-Style Café 2026

Key Points

• 2024 Craft Bakery of the Year Pettigrew Bakeries has launched a 5,500 sq ft headquarters and café in the Penylan area of Cardiff.
• The “Breadquarters” is situated at Design Quarter, 145 Colchester Avenue, and will be supplying the brand’s five Cardiff stores and chosen local restaurants and chefs.
• Café 25-seats offer theatre seating of the operational bakery, and will have hours of operation between 7.30am-3pm Mon-Sat and 8am-2pm Sunday, starting from Monday, August 31, 2026.
• There will be a significant rise in production capacity: Welsh cakes from about 3,000 to 5,000 per week; while sourdough production capacity may be five times higher owing to new temperature-controlled facilities.
• Eight bakers will initially begin work in the facility each day, increasing to 14 as the whole team moves over.
• Concentration of production is predicted to reduce the carbon footprint of Pettigrew by approximately 25-30% owing to energy savings and logistics.
• Founder of the business David Le Masurier referred to the project as being the end result of ten years of learning, aiming for improved working conditions and craftsmanship.
• The company runs five stores and three weekly farmer markets in Cardiff, with Breadquarters as its production base.

Cardiff (Wales Times) August 31, 2026 – One of the UK’s most decorated craft bakeries has opened a major new production site and café in Cardiff, consolidating its operations into a single, purpose-built “Breadquarters” in Penylan. As reported by WalesOnline, the 5,500 sq ft facility at 5 Design Quarter, 145 Colchester Avenue (CF23 9XE) will serve as the engine room for the family-run business’s five city shops and a number of local hospitality partners.

The site combines industrial-scale baking with a customer-facing café, allowing visitors to watch bakers at work through a large theatre-style window while enjoying breakfast, lunch, coffee and freshly made pastries. The café provides 25 indoor covers across tables, benches and perch seating, with an outdoor terrace planned for a later phase, according to details published by WalesOnline.

Why is Pettigrew’s new Breadquarters significant for Cardiff’s food scene?

Pettigrew Bakeries was named Craft Bakery of the Year in 2024, a distinction that underscores its reputation for high-quality, handcrafted products. The new Breadquarters marks the largest single investment in the business since it was founded more than a decade ago, beginning with the Pettigrew Tea Rooms in Bute Park before expanding into neighbourhood craft bakeries across the city, as outlined by WalesOnline.

The facility is designed to increase output without compromising the hands-on methods that define the brand. Around 3,000 of Pettigrew’s signature Welsh cakes are currently made by hand each week, with the new bakery providing capacity to raise this to approximately 5,000. Thousands of loaves of its classic house sourdough are also produced weekly, and new temperature-controlled walk-in facilities provide the potential to increase sourdough production by as much as five times, WalesOnline reported.

How will the Breadquarters change production and staffing?

A team of around eight bakers will initially work from the new site each day, with numbers expected to rise to 14 as the full team moves in, according to WalesOnline. Bakers begin work from as early as 1am, with the first person through the door earning the right to choose the day’s music—a small ritual that reflects the company’s culture. Customers visiting between 9am and 1pm will see much of the bakery’s daytime activity through the café’s viewing window, WalesOnline noted.

Centralising production means Pettigrew will no longer need to operate duplicate bakery facilities or transport ingredients between multiple sites across Cardiff. Ingredients can now arrive by the pallet directly into a dedicated dispatch and storage area, streamlining logistics and reducing handling, as reported by WalesOnline.

What did founder David Le Masurier say about the project?

Founder and owner David Le Masurier described Breadquarters as “the culmination of everything we’ve learned over the past decade, and even further back with the Tea Rooms,” according to WalesOnline. He said the team “wanted to forget compromise” and reject the notion that a space must be either purely functional or beautifully useless, aiming instead for a design that does both “with Pettigrew style”.

“We have given a lot of thought to every detail. It is practical and designed around the people who work here, but there’s also a bit of fun, a lot of love and a proper demonstration of skill,”

Le Masurier said, as quoted by WalesOnline. He added:

“More than anything, I’m incredibly proud that we’ve managed to pull this thing off”.

On the balance between craft and capacity, Le Masurier told WalesOnline:

“This isn’t about taking the craft out of what we do. The investment in equipment and technology is there to support our bakers to remain hands-on, highly skilled craftspeople”.

He said bringing everyone together enables more collaborative working, teamwork and cross-training, “and ultimately gives us more time and space to implement the ideas we have and unleash the potential of an incredibly skilled team”.

What are the café opening hours and what can customers expect?

The adjoining café will be open seven days a week, serving breads, pastries, cakes and other products made just metres away, WalesOnline reported. From Monday, August 31, 2026, opening hours are 7.30am–3pm Monday to Saturday and 8am–2pm on Sundays. The menu reflects the bakery’s core range, with sourdough, patisserie and Welsh cakes produced on site and available to eat in or take away.

How will the move affect sustainability and logistics?

By consolidating production, Pettigrew estimates it could reduce its overall carbon footprint by approximately 25–30% through reduced energy requirements and more streamlined logistics, according to WalesOnline. The elimination of multiple production sites and the ability to receive palletised deliveries directly into a dedicated storage area are central to these efficiency gains, the report said.

What are Pettigrew’s plans for growth after Breadquarters opens?

Breadquarters will become the central hub behind Pettigrew’s five Cardiff shops newport/victoria/">Victoria Park (the original bakery), Roath, Rhiwbina and the city centre (Castle Arcade) as well as three weekly farmers’ markets in Rhwbina, Roath and Riverside, WalesOnline reported. The increased capacity is expected to mean greater availability and potentially an expanded range for customers across the city.

There are also plans to further develop the existing Victoria Park and Roath sites, although details remain under wraps for now, according to WalesOnline. Despite the significantly increased production capacity—and an existing waiting list of potential wholesale customers rapid expansion is not the objective, Le Masurier told WalesOnline.

“We want to carry on as we are ambitious, confident and skilled, and able to bring a bit of craft, quality and joy to the people who choose to try our products,”

he said.

Background: How did Pettigrew Bakeries develop before this opening?

Pettigrew began more than a decade ago with the Pettigrew Tea Rooms in Bute Park before evolving into a network of neighbourhood craft bakeries across Cardiff, as documented by WalesOnline. The business built its reputation on authentic, homemade sourdough, expertly made patisserie and distinctively delicious Welsh cakes, culminating in the 2024 Craft Bakery of the Year award. Over time, it expanded to five retail shops and three weekly farmers’ markets, while supplying a select number of local restaurants and chefs. The Breadquarters project consolidates these operations into a single, modern facility designed to support the next phase of steady, craft-led growth.

Prediction: How could this development affect Cardiff residents and local hospitality?

For Cardiff residents, the Breadquarters opening is likely to improve product availability across the city’s Pettigrew shops and markets, with the potential for a wider range as capacity increases. The café’s theatre-style viewing and extended opening hours may also make the Penylan site a destination for visitors seeking a transparent, craft-focused bakery experience. For local restaurants and chefs on Pettigrew’s wholesale list, the centralised production and increased sourdough capacity could mean more reliable supply and scope for new collaborations. If demand continues to grow, the business’s stated focus on preserving craft while improving efficiency suggests any future expansion will be measured, prioritising quality and team wellbeing over rapid scaling.