Ludham village Broadgate Bakery ordered to to stop baking

But a tiny bakery in a pretty Norfolk village looks like it will be forced to close.

The owners of Broadgate Bakery, in Ludham, have been battling planning officials to keep their shop running for almost two years. Now their luck might have run out.

Alan and Malou Gepp first set up their makeshift bakery in 2020, working from the kitchen of their home on a quiet country lane, nestled between open fields and Womack Water, a peaceful spot on the Norfolk Broads.

When they tried to get planning permission to expand the premises and build a dedicated kitchen for the business in 2021 they were rejected by the Broads Authority (BA). 

A sign outside the couple's home advertises what is on offer (Image: Sonya Duncan/Newsquest)

But the couple decided to fight on, taking the battle to the government’s Planning Inspectorate, which has the power to overturn the authority’s decision. 

Now an inspector has sided with the BA and rejected the extension, while the authority is insisting all baking ceases.

Opinions in the village - which has a population of around 1,300 - are split, with five locals writing to the BA to object to the original planning application.

But others, particularly on social media, have sided with the Gepps, with dozens of people enthusing about their products. 

The Broadgate Bakery's expansion plans have gone up in smoke (Image: Sonya Duncan/Newsquest)

While many of the customers were initially locals, over time the customer base has transitioned to tourists, who either stay at nearby holiday homes or on boats which moor at the nearby Womack staithe.

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Inspectors rejected the appeal on three grounds – highway safety, the impact on neighbours and whether the business is in a suitable location. 

In a written decision, they said the plans would cause “significant harm” to highways safety, due to its location on a single-track road, almost half a mile from the centre of Ludham. 

They said: “Customers would need to travel along a narrow country lane curved in places with no footway or lighting along much of its length. Along the route, there are limited passing places for vehicles or pedestrian refuge areas. 

“I also observed customers standing in the road reading the signage associated with the appeal site resulting in the need for a car to slow down and pass on the opposite side of the road.”

While they acknowledged that they have “no reason to doubt that some people enjoy the smell of baked goods” they said others would not, and while that could be conditioned to limit disruption for neighbours he said noise from additional customers could not. 

Mr Gepp said he has received a letter from the BA ordering him and his wife to stop baking and he was now assessing how they could proceed, but he was “not too worried about immediate closure”.

He said the business was seasonal, only operating during the summer months, and was small, causing minimum impact, serving only 10 to 20 customers a day.  

He also argued that many of the reasons given by the inspector for dismissal were wrong, with the many ramblers using the road experiencing no safety issues, and that it was not too remote, with most customers being surrounding holidaymakers.

The sign sits on the edge of the road with a bell for service (Image: Sonya Duncan/Newsquest)

Mr Gepp has also received massive support, with around 400 people giving their backing in emails.

“I’m not sure what my plan is yet. We feel like we are being hit by a heavy hammer,” he said. 

A Broads Authority spokesman said a number of concerns had been raised about the premises during consultations, for the application, including from Ludham Parish Council, North Norfolk District Council and County Hall.

He said the plan was refused due to the potential negative effects it would have on the surrounding area, neighbours and poor public access.

He added: "We look forward to offering our usual free pre-application advice should the applicant wish to explore opportunities to run their business in a more suitable location in the future."