Bakery revamp billed as vote of confidence in Galashiels town centre

Craig Murray, boss of Alex Dalgetty and Sons, has just overseen the completion of a four-week facelift of his shop in Bank Street.

The project has been in development for almost two years and represents what he describes as a “significant financial investment”.

He said the revamp is a ringing endorsement of Galashiels town centre’s future and demonstrates his desire to provide customers with a unique setting in which to shop.

Craig added: “As far as I am concerned, business is good in Galashiels.

“However, the shop had last been renovated 20 years ago, and although everything was functional and in good condition, it was getting a wee bit dated and I didn’t think the shop interior really reflected the business as it should.

“We are an extremely high-quality artisan bakery, and I wanted my shop to reflect that and, at the same time, provide a unique shopping experience.

“I truly believe that customers will never before have set foot in a bakery shop like this.

“The design brief was to create a shop interior which reflects the artisan heritage and handcrafted nature of everything that we do but also reflect the natural baking process.

“The new shop interior is a unique mixture of natural clay wall finishes, along with solid oak timber shelving and a splash of aged copper for worktops – subtle, but completely unique.

“I really pushed my interior designer to go beyond what is the accepted norm for bakery shops, and I believe that we have a shop which will be a must-see destination for visitors to the Borders.

“The tapestry visitor centre, which opens next year will bring in a significant amount of people to the town, and I want those visitors to come into my shop and for my shop to be memorable to them.”

Mr Murray’s great-great grandfather, Alex Dalgetty, founded the business back in 1892.

The company now employs 25 staff in total at its bakery and shop in Galashiels and at its shop and tearoom in Melrose.