The country’s biggest bakery chain is set to open a 100-seater restaurant and store in Trowbridge at the end of next week.

Bakery giant Greggs is relocating from Unit 38 in The Shires shopping centre to the much larger Unit 27 next to Superdrug.

The company is moving to a 3,886 square feet unit formerly occupied by the Get It Cleared furniture store currently being fitted out.

The opening is thought to be on Saturday, May 4. 

Wiltshire Times: Greggs is relocating to the larger Unit 27 in The Shires. Image: Trevor Porter 70154-1Greggs is relocating to the larger Unit 27 in The Shires. Image: Trevor Porter 70154-1 (Image: Trevor Porter)

Greggs specialises in sausage rolls, sandwiches, cakes, pasties and bakes – from steak slices to pizza – all baked or made fresh in store every day.

It already has two other outlets in Trowbridge at the Cradle Bridge Retail Park and at the Shell service station on the Westbury Road.

A manager at the nearby Boswells Café, which employs around 25 people, was not fazed by the prospect of competition from Greggs.

She said: “We are not worried. They are a completely different company to ours, with a different menu.

“We still serve drinks in china cups and we have built up a good reputation in Trowbridge.

“A lot of our customers come here and some of them pop into Greggs. We are very different.”

Greggs employs 21,500 people in 2,300 locations and sells a range of savoury baking products.

Based in Newcastle upon Tyne, the company was founded by John Gregg as a Tyneside bakery in 1939. Originally a high street chain, it has since entered the convenience and drive-thru markets.

Wiltshire Times: Greggs is currently fitting out the unit behind closed doorsGreggs is currently fitting out the unit behind closed doors (Image: John Baker)

Greggs relocation within The Shires will provide a huge boost for London & Cambridge Properties, which bought The Shires shopping centre in January last year.

The company has taken a proactive approach to filling empty units, including splitting some up into micro-shops to attract new businesses to the centre.

Sarah Moore, manager of The Shires, has welcomed the move by Greggs to a larger unit, saying she expects it to open on Saturday, May 4.

The centre is anchored by an Asda and other tenants include Poundland, Iceland, Waterstones, Superdrug and JD Sports.