Jack Bakes

16/08/2024

NEWS…

Jack Bakes will be changing. I’m not going to go into the ins and outs of how difficult this year has been for a small business, as instagram is flooded by businesses like mine explaining it better than I could. However, I will say I’ve been dispirited, exhausted and questioning everything for the last 12 months. I started this business to give myself freedom and to build something that could sustain itself. It simply isn’t doing that.

I’m lucky enough to have been offered a position at in Cheltenham and I start this Monday, the 19th of August. I can’t describe how excited I am to be working with this team and to be learning new food skills! However, the nature of the job will mean I’m closing most of the business. I’ll no longer be accepting private orders, attending vegan markets/fairs or stocking cafes. After some umm-ing and ahh-ing I’ve settled on only attending Stroud Farmers Market on the 1st and 3rd Saturday of the month (although this could change too).

Private orders already placed will be honoured, but the booking diary is officially closed.

Thank you for all of your support over the last few years, particularly my lovely cafe owners, and here’s hoping for better times for all of us 🥂

See you at Stroud Market some time! 💙💙💙

Jack ###

19/06/2024

A couple of date changes…

I’ll be at Stroud Farmers Market on the 22nd of June as well as the last Saturday of June and I’ll be attending Taunton Vegan Market on the 7th July but ONLY with savoury stuff.

This summer will be very Stroud-centric for me, so if in doubt come find me at the farmers market 💙😀

26/04/2024

26/04/2024

It’s that time of the month again! Stroud Vegan Market this Sunday 28th between 10am and 3pm and I’ll be there with some of the curried stuffed potato cakes (and other bits 😀)

19/04/2024

🎶Guess what’s back, it’s back agaaaaain🎶

Tomorrow at Stroud Farmers Market AND Sunday at Cheltenham Vegan Market ( I’m ridiculously excited to be back in Cheltenham, it’s been NINE MONTHS).

04/04/2024

T H I S W E E K E N D:

Saturday - Stroud Farmers Market 9am-2pm

Sunday - Bath Vegan Market 10am-3pm at

Pecan Pie available at both markets 😋

27/03/2024

Which Stuffed Potato Cake will you be having this weekend? Sautéed Vegetables in a Smoked Paprika Cream Sauce on Saturday? Or Roasted Cauliflower in a Curried Sauce on Sunday?

Whichever one floats your boat, you can find me in the same place on both days:
- Stroud Farmers Market on Saturday 9-2
- Stroud Vegan Market on Sunday 10-3

💙💙💙

22/03/2024

The Long Table says it took thousands of hours of work to turn derelict site into a community space, but landlord has now sold it

16/03/2024

Creative Sustainability colleagues are shocked and saddened to learn that the projects based at Brimscombe Mill face eviction again. We want to express our support and empathy for the infuriating situation facing the people and community based at the Mill.

The Grace Network group of enterprises – The Long Table, Kids Stuff, Furniture Bank, GN and The Bike Drop – have had their home at Brimscombe Mill sold from underneath their feet. The team report that their efforts to buy the building or extend the lease have been rejected, and that the new landlord has “no interest” letting the social enterprises stay. They add that their “new community economic model is at risk of being broken apart.”

The potential loss of 5 social enterprises and 53 jobs in the community sector will have a significant impact on local communities and the local economy. And they are not the only group of essential community-based services and activities at risk in the district.

We agree with the Brimscombe Mill team that this is “a matter of land justice”. We have witnessed the enormous amount of work and investment by the team and local community to renovate the property and make a wonderful vibrant community space. This is now “at risk of being lost due to the way land laws work and the way the “system” works.” We agree that “It doesn’t feel transparent, fair or right”.

Our local elected councillors and officers urgently need to focus on this as an issue. Whilst the District Council’s Local Plan has an objective for “Community Wealth Building”, we are really concerned about the unconsidered impact of canal regeneration, together with the Council’s economic focus on tourism. Until recently our creative and community sectors have had happy and affordable homes in our heritage buildings, now these are increasingly eyed up for prospecting on land values – and put out of the reach of our communities.

We need recognition of the economic contribution the community sector makes, the number of jobs created and the impacts of their activities on the health and wellbeing of everyone here. We need these facts to enter the conversation about local economic regeneration, investment, and resilience. With laws that favour private developers, landowners and landlords, our elected members must work together with us to safeguard the future of Stroud’s community assets for perpetuity.

This is close to our hearts at Creative Sustainability. The building that hosts our five community programmes is also up for sale, though the owner is very much more supportive of our efforts than is the case at Brimscombe Mill. We formed Fromehall Mill Community Benefit Society last year, to raise funds through community shares, grants and loans, but it is a tough journey and the outcome is far from certain. The problem isn’t just about buildings but also about our open spaces, like The Heavens. There is clearly a common need for us all to come together to look for solutions.

Brimscombe Mill community are organising two public meetings on Thursday 21st March and Wednesday 10th April. We will be attending these meetings as friends and colleagues. We encourage our supporters to read the full statement from the Brimscombe Mill team and respond to their Community Call to Action (link on our website and in the comments).

With love and solidarity, from Creative Sustainability, including the Access Bike, Creative Camping, Stroud Community Hubs Strategy, 3rd Space Youth Hub, Gloucestershire Youth Climate Group, and Stroud Digital Inclusion teams.

13/03/2024

No words…

BROKEN! The Brimscombe Mill community is being lost to become warehousing. This statement is a call to action and a need for community resilience ✊

In a surprising development, all of the social enterprises at Brimscombe Mill no longer have a home due to the property's unexpected sale. This space, which we've lovingly enhanced with hundreds of thousands in renovations, is more than a venue. It embodies our commitment to this community.

This is a shock to us all. We had been trying to engage with our old landlord to purchase the building or extend the lease, but he sold it in secret without any chance to counter. We have spoken to the new landlord, but he has no interest in letting us stay on site.

We are exploring other options for a home but we haven’t found anything viable yet. This puts all of the social enterprises and 53 jobs at risk.

This isn’t just the end of our lease, it’s a matter of land justice, impacting a community built on countless hours renovating the property, and significant investment in materials. This community asset is at risk of being lost due to the way land laws work and the way the broken “system” works. It doesn’t feel transparent, fair or right - and now we face destruction.

This isn’t the first time we’ve faced adversity as a community, and we’ll pull through it together. So, if you want to help, here’s some action you can take:

HELP US THRIVE
Until we move on, let’s thrive! Come in for a meal, buy furniture, get your bike repaired and buy some kids’ stuff. Support local jobs and your community.

JOIN OUR RELOCATION EVENTS
To help us work out what we can do next we will be hosting a couple of events in the Sanctuary space at Brimscombe Mill:

1️⃣ What’s next for the Brimscombe Mill community? - Thursday 21st March, 6-8pm.
2️⃣ Community Planning Session - Wednesday 10th April, 6-8pm

Head to The Brimscombe Mill for further information: websitehttps://www.brimscombe-mill.org.uk/warehouseupdate