I'm not sure if Ainsleys was a national chain of bread/cake shops but they're everywhere in Yorkshire. They went into administration last autumn and I gather they've now been taken over by Coopland. Who are Coopland - I've never heard of them and more importantly... what are their bread and cakes like This is just academic research, you understand, not because I like to indulge, no no, not even occasionally

I can only recommend carrying out your own scientific research to establish whether the quality of cakes has remained constant, has decreased following an exponential curve over time, or something else.

Coopland's cakes are not as nice as Ainsley's. I love Ainsley's ginger buns. But Thomas the Baker Chelsea buns are the best of all.

I love the way you think, Solari I agree wholeheartedly!

Skyers - you've never heard of Coopland! They are all over South Yorkshire. Used to buy cakes from there when we fancied a treat at work in Sheffield. Yum yum

No Coopland or Ainsleys around the midlands or Worcestershire.
I should make a graph, and do serious tastings.........give points for appearance, taste, and value for money.
If you need help with the carrot cake, call me.
Chocolate help may be given by both my daughters
We eagerly await your findings.

Who are these Ainsleys? and Coopland? We don't have these people down here, we only have Greggs or Baker's Oven.

However, I do support genuine, hands on investigatory techniques. We await your verdict Skylark for the next time I'm up in Yorkshire. (probably later this year)

Oh alright then, if you all insist that I *must* do some comparative research, then I guess I must - someone's got to do it I suppose


Susie - if you're near Leeds when you come up to Yorkshire, let me know and it would be nice to meet for a coffee or something

Cooplands do great russian slabs, you must try those (not that I would know but they come highly recommended!!!) Cooplands are almost on a par with Ainsleys, not quite, but much better than Greggs for sure.

I've never heard of Cooplands or Ainsleys, but this thread DOES remind me of a school trip to Edinburgh three years ago...myself and a friend spent an hour tramping round Prince's Street looking for a Greggs

Ainsleys in Horsforth doesn't seem to have changed as yet. Their rival is Greggs. I've never heard of Cooplands

Cooplands - a long established Scarborough based firm started by Fred Coopland and still family run. An excellent reputation. We eat their products every week. Their mince pies are especially good. They also have cafes attached to some of their shops. Try them!

I hope you tried a curry bridie. When in Rome...

A curry bridie? I'm afraid I have no idea what that is!

I'll bear that in mind Skylark, although I have to confess we usually gallop up the M1/A1 to Thirsk, and then gallop back again, so I might be reduced to waving at Leeds out of the car window!

I've seen Cooplands in North Yorkshire!

Ainsleys are all over Leeds. As are Greggs.

Never heard of Ainsleys before I moved to Leeds though

It's the Scottish equivalent of a Cornish pasty, although generally made with mechanically rendered meat mince rather than chuck steak.

When our office was in Headingley an old guy in front of me in Ainsleys asked for a 'a great mystery of life', and the assistant knew what he meant. Though a colleague calls the same thing a 'growler'.
Before I give the answer I'd be interested to hear what you think it is.

A pie or a pasty methinks.

Oh and Cooplands. Yes as said before, well known in South Yorkshire - we had them in Doncaster and Sheffield. Quite good as I recall. As for Greggs - well I suppose sometimes you have to eat something, well, dirty.

Oh! I saw a Cooplands in York last week and was really confused as I was sure there used to be an Ainsleys in the same spot. Now I understand.

I've been known to walk into Greggs, and walk straight back out again, preferring to go hungry. Ainsleys isn't as good as it used to be so I've got high hopes for Cooplands. Didn't any of the bosses at Ainsleys ever notice that the trays of "novelty" biscuits were always untouched at the end of the day

A 'growler' or 'great mystery of life' is a pork pie. The Mystery is you dont really know what goes into making one !
My grandfather used to call a 'meat and potato' pie a 'ten to one-er' ie one part meat to ten parts potato.

A my dad used to say "Meat and tater pie. One half taters, the other half all taters".

To all you keen bread (?) eaters out there ... I really like Paul's spelt bread (the yeast one, not the sourdough) but have only managed to find it at the Wholefood Supermarket in Stoke Newington Church St. Anyone know of other stockists in London? And how does Paul get his spelt bread so light? When I have tried making it, it has a crust like concrete.

PatC

Ah, I thought that's how spelt bread is.

Getting decent bread is a bit of a headache nowadays. Waitrose do some fairly decent stuff - spelt, sourdough, etc. and not a million miles from here is a splendid continental bakers (Barbakan) who produce a dazzling array of wonderful stuff. But we need more good bakers on the doorstep. OK you still need sliced white for the ultimate bacon butty.

I was in my local Ainsleys today and apparently they're changing over to Cooplands on Monday. Exciting innit!