Cleveleys bakers JL Bean celebrating 90 years of business in same high street shop

Cottage bakery JL Bean first opened on Victoria Road West in 1933, six years before the Second World War started and almost 20 years before another landamark, the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II.

The family business – now in its fourth generation – has changed little since those early days.

There is still the bakery behind the shop, where all those tasty pies, cakes and bread loaves are baked, using recipes created by founder James Leyland Bean, who moved to the growing resort from Bolton.

Our high streets have faced some tough times over the past 90 years but current JL Bean boss Paul Lewis – great grandson of James– says the key to survival is simple.

Surrounded by 90th birthday balloons and banners, Paul, 55, who runs the bakery with wife Charmaine and seven staff members, said: “It’s all about the product, basically.

"If people like what you are offering and you sell it at a reasonable price, they will come to you and keep coming back.

"Our pies have been particularly big with customers over the years – our meat and potato pies are really popular and we’ve got steak pies, pork pies and cheese and onion.

"The only changes we have brought in, over the last three years, have been vegan and vegetarian items.

"Our pineapple cherry buns have got a bit of a following too.

"We’ve just got on with things and stuck to what we do well and so far, our customers keep coming back.

"It helps that we’re in Cleveleys – aside from our regulars, we get plenty of visitors coming in.”

Family history

James Leyland Bean probably had little idea that his little bakery would thrive for so long but he did pass on his baking and business skills to his three daughters, Peggy, Annie and Olga.

After he retired , Peggy and husband Frank Taylor took over the shop , helped by Annie, while Olga opened up a second JL Bean bakery on Poulton Street in Fleetwood.

Peggy passed on the baton to the third generation – Annie’s son James Wilson and his sister Ann.

And Paul – Ann’s son- has now taken over the reins.

He has been working in the shop for 40 years, starting there while still a teenager.

Paul and wife Charmaine run the shop with a loyal team of staff – many of whom have also been there decades.

They are bakers Alison Tolmie and Gary Butcher, along with shop staff Ann Marlton, Jean Maskell ,Elaine Douglas, Jeanette McKnight and Barbara Birch.

With such a long line of family members involved, talk might inevitably move to questions about the next generation.

But Paul says son Sebastian may not follow his parents into the trade, as he has other career interests.

In the meantime, the team are happy to enjoy the milestone and keep doing what they do best.

Paul said: "It’s good to know that people really like what we do – we’ve even had people from Wigan coming back again and again – and they know about pies in Wigan!”

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