Bakery takes over hometown to celebrate 140 years of delicious business
This August, 2025, marks 140 years of Scarborough’s own Cooplands Bakery. The historical business is taking celebrations to its own seaside town with a nostalgic trip down memory lane, full of special moments for customers and staff on Friday 15th and Saturday 16th August.
Cooplands bakery is Yorkshire’s best kept tasty secret, but loyal fans have enjoyed its cakes, pasties and sausage rolls for over 140 years. Cooplands began its journey back in 1885 as a small pork butcher and pie maker on Market Street in Scarborough, winning a Great Taste Award for their pork pie in 2023.The delicious history began when Frederick and Alice Coopland opened their first bakery on Market Street, driven by a simple mission: to offer fresh quality products and honest value to their local community. Today the business provides over 1500 British jobs , and operates over 150 shops across Yorkshire, Lincolnshire and the North East, and is the Uk’s second largest bakery chain.
This weekend, Scarborough holidaymakers and residents will be treated to sweet treats, delectable snacks, quirky stunts and special guests performing across the two days as the bakery invites the beachgoers to party like it’s 1885. From a spectacular ‘sandcake,’ constructed on the beach to commemorate the business’ Big Day; to complimentary celebration treats, and a special ‘spin to win’ competition; a stilted Victoria sponge lady wowing the crowds; children learning to ‘bake’ goodies from real Scarborough sand; to the surprising skills of a talented Victorian Gent on one wheel, impressing people with feats of magic and skill. The two days of joy and crazy bakery joy starts from 10am on Friday morning.
The line up of events is as follows (timings subject to weather conditions and changes on the day) – head to the store on 103 Westborough, Scarborough, YO11 1LD for more and up to date information: -
Sweet treats and delicious eats – samples our wares for free!
Cooplands bakers have been busy and ready to serve up their famous sausage rolls, brownies, pork pies, cheese straws, flapjacks and brownies to hungry fans as a reminder of nearly a century and a half of excellent products.
Find the special Cooplands van opposite our Westborough store, and adjacent to Poundland 10am – 3pm Friday 15th and Saturday 16th August.
Spin to Win
To add a touch of jeopardy to your weekend snacking schedule, a Spin to Win will be located next to our special Cooplands van, by our Westborough store where Cooplands SpinMasters will challenge hungry passers-by to win a buffet of mouthwatering prizes from sweet treats, sausage rolls & cheese straws, and some special star prizes, including travel vouchers, Cooplands gift vouchers, love to shop vouchers and an Amazon Alexa.
Spin to Win 10am – 3pm Friday 15th and Saturday 16th August.
Victoria Sponge
Scarborough will be astounded to see a giant, walking talking Victoria Sponge promenading across Westborough on Friday 15th! The talented, stilted performer will be handing out our famous sausage rolls, and sweet treats and making sure no one misses the fun times ahead the next day – and obviously taking the opportunity for Scarborough Selfies. Upload your selfie and tag us #140YearsOf Cooplands for the chance to win 3 Coldplay tickets.
Meet and greets with Victoria Sponge will be LIVE for 11am through to 2pm at our Westborough and Queen Street stores and the route along.
A “SandCake” Celebration
Commemorating the birthday, talented sand sculptors will be drawing a crowd on the beach as they attempt a beautiful (but sadly inedible) giant birthday cake. To watch the construction be created in real time be down to South Bay beach at 10am when the build begins but for those who like to see the final spectacle, the phenomenal construct will be ‘fully baked’ and on display from 3pm
From 10am on Saturday South Beach, next to the RNLI Lifeboat Station
Mini Sandbakers
We’ll be recruiting a mini “bakery squad” of local children to help add to the celebratory sandcake with their very own creations, to celebrate a birthday party including cupcakes, birthday cakes and Gingerbread biscuits. A talented team of sand sculptors will tutor our new recruits with loads of opportunities for sharing creations online, upload your photos and tag us in #140YearsOfCooplands and be in with a chance to win 3 Coldplay tickets.
Saturday 16th, 11am – 4pm, South Bay Beach
Unicycle Gent
Saturday holidaymakers might be forgiven for thinking they’ve walked into a timewarp when they spy a Victorian Unicycle Gent performing LIVE across the beach and promenades on Saturday! This talented gent will be visiting us all the way from 1885 to showcase his magic, stunts and clever comedy.
Saturday 16th 11am – 3pm