The Flat Baker: Crafting a warm, character-filled bakery café in the heart of Ancoats

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Flat Baker began as a cult bakery hatch with a loyal following — queues around the streets of Ancoats, sell-out pastries, and a growing fanbase drawn to its Brazilian-inspired flavours and bold creativity.
As the business evolved into its first dine-in bakery café, our role was to transform a compact unit in Ancoats into a functional, expressive hospitality space that celebrates the heart of the brand.

Working directly with the founders, we developed the feasibility, architectural layout and interior design concept, before Select Interiors delivered the build onsite.

Throughout the design journey, we focused on maintaining the bakery’s soul: handmade craft, warmth, and personality — while ensuring operational flow was strong enough to handle peak morning rushes as well as slower brunch dwell times.​

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Design Focus

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• Brand-rich identity: A colourful, illustrative mural and playful graphic moments reinforce Flat Baker’s expressive personality and instantly communicate its story.

• Optimised operational flow: Clear zoning between baking, display, takeaway and dine-in ensures staff can work efficiently even at peak demand.

• Neighbourhood comfort: Natural timbers, soft edges and warm lighting create a relaxed café atmosphere that invites people to sit, stay and enjoy.

• Scalable hospitality layout: A space that supports Flat Baker’s growth — takeaway convenience in the morning and sociable brunch culture throughout the day.

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The Result

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• A standout hospitality venue that reflects and elevates the Flat Baker brand

• A highly efficient layout supporting both fast-turnover pastry service and longer-dwell café moments

• A welcoming, visually distinctive space that feels at home in Manchester’s independent dining scene

• A meaningful next step for the business — taking Flat Baker from market favourite to destination bakery café

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