The Leas Bakery, Darlington, voted Best Bakery 2024

The Leas Bakery, which is run by Simon Kershaw on Thompson Street East, has scooped the top spot in the competition, voted for by our readers. 

The Kershaws have run the bakery - named after a neighbouring street - for three generations, with Simon's dad Norman first firing up the ovens in 1960. 

In August, The Northern Echo launched its Best Bakery competition - asking fans of pasties and stottie loaves alike to vote for their favourite. 

The Leas Bakery, in Darlington (Image: SARAH CALDECOTT)

But there could only be one winner - and it was The Leas Bakery that took home the crown.

Renowned for its traditional cakes and pies, the "amazing" bakery is heavily praised online for its "fresh" food that is "always spot on" and boasts a 4.7 star rating on Google. 

Simon and the team were presented with their certificate earlier this month, posing for a picture alongside Bobbi-Joanne Chisman, Cheryl Allfrey, and Darren Harrington. 

Simon Kershaw of The Leas Bakery (Image: Sarah Caldecott)

Reacting to the win, Simon told The Northern Echo: "We are very pleased. I'd like to thank all the customers who voted for us - it shows we are doing something right!"

Simon said that several customers had asked about the competition in the store while it was underway.

"We've already put the plaque up," Simon said. "A lot of customers have been asking [whether we had won] so we have told them."

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The Leas Bakery first started out of town before moving to its current home on Thompson Street East, with Simon starting to work at the bakery as a child, learning from his dad and grandad. 

It now serves up an extensive range of "high-quality bread, cakes and pastries" - with cream cakes, Japanese buns, and Eccles cakes all frequently up for grabs. 

There are also plenty of seasonal specials - whether that's hot cross buns for Easter, England-themed cakes for the UEFA European Football Championship 2024 or mince pies at Christmas.