BOSSES at Southend’s newest bakery are loving life in the High Street after customers queued out the door on their opening day. 

Staff at Wilma’s Bakery, which has already proved a hit in Rayleigh and Leigh, have been rushed off their feet since opening in the former Wenzel’s on Saturday. 

Offering a range of cakes, cupcakes, coffees and paninis, husband-and-wife duo Gemma and Will Jones are confident this is the start of a long and successful future in the High Street.

Baking team - The new kitchen crew at Wilma's Baking team - The new kitchen crew at Wilma's (Image: Gemma Jones)


 Just six days into their new venture, Gemma has said that the business is “finding its feet” and getting great reactions from customers.

Gemma said: “It has been crazy, we opened on Saturday at 9am and a few people came in, it was a slow trickle and then we went ‘oh my god, I hope it gets busier’, then there was a big queue out of the door for the majority of the day.

“It was really good and we had a lot of support and new customers, most people knew the brand and we recommended it by a friend and that is really good.

Hard at work - The inside of the new Wilma's Hard at work - The inside of the new Wilma's (Image: Gemma Jones)


“Our cake slices were really popular and our brownies and blondies, and as a whole, our cupcakes.

“The excitement has been maintained since and we have found new customers and people raving about the coffee and our banana bread, it has been good and we provide a different offer to the usual and the mainstream.”

As part of the move to the High Street, the business has relocated its kitchen from Stock Road, Southend, to the High Street and the team have been working around the clock to prepare top-notch baked goods. 

The business has also expanded their offering, with kids paninis, savoury croissants and flapjacks all being trialled as part of an ever-growing menu.

Gemma added: “We have had people go in and it feels we need to educate people and tell them what we are, they don’t know we do coffee, open at 7.30am and offer fresh pastries and hopefully as time goes on that will change.

“I hope we can build the same way as our other two shops, we believe in our products and everything is made with love and care and attention.”