Brick House

[DovertheRoad]

I really like what they've done with Brick House and it's a good "space" as New Yorkers say....

It's also good if you've got a large pushchair - very mum friendly and that's no bad thing as most other units on the lane are a bit cramped.

[numbers]

Jeremy Wrote:

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> In defence of fox, I think there's nothing

> unreasonable about his post. Making bread can be

> time consuming, especially sourdough. If more

> people tried at home, they'd realise why small

> producers cannot sell bread at supermarket prices.

oh I wasn't getting at fox for baking his own bread, I just had a sinking feeling the comment was akin to those other threads where a new business opens, lets say a pizza place and people pile in with the predictable "gourmet pizza guv? how much?!!! I could do better at home, its just cheese and bread etc etc". That's all.

So apologies foxy, I didn't realise your post was in response to someone else asking about baking their own bread. Absolutely agree that if people see how time-consuming it is to bake a decent sourdough then they may well appreciate the work that has gone into it.

[Cedges]

I'd kind of expect bread that's only made from 3 basic, very cheap ingredients to be cheaper, not more expensive ney? Even taking into account it sitting around fermenting/proving for a couple of days..very little more actual manpower involved.

[DulwichFox]

Cedges Wrote:

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> I'd kind of expect bread that's only made from 3

> basic, very cheap ingredients to be cheaper, not

> more expensive ney? Even taking into account it

> sitting around fermenting/proving for a couple of

> days..very little more actual manpower involved.

I am going to step in here in defence of The Brick House..

Making Bread, especially Crafted Sourdough Breads is very labour intensive..

Preparing Sourdough Starters (5 days ??), Preparing and Kneading Dough, monitoring Slow fermentation.. Baking.

Also using only the best quality flours will add to the cost.

I bake bread one loaf at a time so it becomes expensive for Electricity used just for the one loaf.

Do not know how many loaves The Brick House bakes but it will not be on the same scale as commercially bread.

Commercially made bread may use steam injectors in the process.

Plus all the other business costs..

DulwichFox

[PandG]

Just had home made soup, their veggie sandwich at lunchtime - delicious and WORTH EVERY PENNY - ED needs these entrepreneurs it's what makes this a wonderful area to live in - support it or stay quiet!

[Jeremy]

In addition to what Fox said - if additives are used to speed up production and increase yield, then they actually reducing the cost.

[katanita]

Tried to learn how to make bread last year, was staggered to find out how complex and time consuming it is. I genuinely can't understand how independent bakeries that don't use the supermarket style industrial processes make any sort of money charging even as much as they do. Given how much time it took me to make a rather sad focaccia, if I ever nailed it I'd want at least a tenner per loaf.

I wouldn't pay a tenner per loaf, mind, which is why I haven't gone into the bakery business, aside from being rubbish at the actual manufacturing. I just can't fathom the economics.

[DulwichFox]

Back in the 50's my uncle was a Master Baker in South Wales. Bargoed.

DulwichFox

[worldwiser]

I think ?4 is fine for a whole loaf of this quality and I'm more than prepared to pay it. My issue was with ?6 for a sandwich which I (and clearly others) think is too much. If that's negativity, I'll cope but I'd like to think it was useful feedback from hopefully an otherwise valued customer.

[Earl Aelfheah]

Totally agree with Fox. You get what you pay for and Brick produce a quality, labour intensive product. We are really lucky to have somewhere like this in the area.

[adsyb99]

Agree with most of the sentiments above. Friendly staff, great space and fantastic product. Excellent addition to the area!

[jomou]

Do they have wifi there? Is it a good place to go alone with a laptop and get some work done over a sandwich and coffee?

[Dodo1]

what are their opening hours?

[Cedges]

I have made sourdough bread before btw...

5 days of making the starter - yes but thats 5 minutes a day for 5 days, not 5 whole day's work.

I fail to believe that Brick House hand-knead their bread from start to finish. Shaping before the final prove yes - but a good baker can shape what...2 loaves a minute at the minimum.

Even taking into account good quality flour, pring water and cornish sea salt - ?4 a loaf is heck of a profit margin.

Factoring in rent and business rates in East Dulwich however may very well eat into that profit margin and require higher prices to maintain a realistic profit, but the cost of making the bread itself - no way jose.

[Baggs]

Cedges Wrote:

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> I have made sourdough bread before btw...

>

> 5 days of making the starter - yes but thats 5

> minutes a day for 5 days, not 5 whole day's work.

>

>

> I fail to believe that Brick House hand-knead

> their bread from start to finish. Shaping before

> the final prove yes - but a good baker can shape

> what...2 loaves a minute at the minimum.

>

> Even taking into account good quality flour, pring

> water and cornish sea salt - ?4 a loaf is heck of

> a profit margin.

>

> Factoring in rent and business rates in East

> Dulwich however may very well eat into that profit

> margin and require higher prices to maintain a

> realistic profit, but the cost of making the bread

> itself - no way jose.

The cost of ingredients - not the cost of making the bread Cedges.

These loaves are retarded over night in climate controlled conditions (costs money) they are shaped by hand (costs money) and baked in an electric deck oven (costs money). I presume they are also unloaded by hand (costs money). Some loaves also contain fruit, nuts and seeds - these increase ingredient cost significantly and I wouldn't be surprised if price of plain loaves has to be inflated to cover this.

[DulwichFox]

I was recently (this week) told that rents on Lordship Lane for restaurant sized outlets

range on average from ?30K - ?40K p/a ?575 - ?770 per week.

DulwichFox

[david_carnell]

Not to mention business rates, utility bills and staff costs.

That's a lot of loaves you've got to sell to make a living.

[Seabag]

jomou Wrote:

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> Do they have wifi there? Is it a good place to go

> alone with a laptop and get some work done over a

> sandwich and coffee?

Yes good for about 30 mins i'd say

I was there this morning and really liked it, all light and airy, with good service

But to do 'work' in might be a struggle as it's very parent/child friendly

[Sue]

worldwiser Wrote:

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My

> issue was with ?6 for a sandwich which I (and

> clearly others) think is too much.

My sister had a sandwich there yesterday.

She said it was absolutely fantastic - huge slices of delicious bread, proper ham sliced off the bone, proper mustard etc..

She said it was well worth ?6. It was so big she couldn't get it in her mouth :)

[Azalea]

Someone was charged ?3.80 for a soya latte there and tweeted about it. Apparently she was overcharged, it should have been ?3.30 instead. She was offered a refund. Still a lot of dough, fnaar fnaar.

[Seabag]

Bottom line is; if youre struggling to live in London then this isn't for you

Next?

[fonread]

Azalea Wrote:

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> Someone was charged ?3.80 for a soya latte there

> and tweeted about it.

Instead of querying it at the time, of course. No sympathy.

[Zebedee Tring]

I'm sure that there's a joke there somewhere, but it might upset those of a nervous disposition.

[Jeremy]

If you copyright the line now, chances are you'll get a chance to sue Robin Thicke at some point in the future.

[ortuke]

DulwichFox Wrote:

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> Had a look today.. Did not seem that bright to

> me... considering it is a beautiful sunny day..

>

> Its still just a warehouse with a few wooden

> tables.. Seating for 15 people ???

>

> Space for 30 - 40 buggies.. only 3-4 in when I

> look in.

> Another Mummy Baby Creche caf? ?

>

> DulwichFox

I think you're safe DF - it screams stay away kids. No highchairs, no changing facilities, no babychino, no kid friendly menu...space yes but nothing else for the little ones so at last a baby free zone in ED!