Loaf, Stirchley's co-operative bakery, prepares for its next chapter

Ask anyone in Stirchley where to buy a proper loaf and there is a good chance they will point you to Loaf. Since 2009 the bakery and cookery school has been a cornerstone of the neighbourhood, and it is now getting ready for an exciting move just up the road.

Loaf is a workers' co-operative, and all of its permanent staff are directors of the company. Its aim is to build community through real food and healthy living, and that ethos runs through everything it does.

The bakery's bread and pastries are freshly baked on site, from sourdough and focaccia to cinnamon and cardamom buns. During the week the kitchen also turns out lunches such as curry, soup, pizza and sausage and vegetable rolls. Nothing goes to waste either: surplus baking is donated to charities including Incredible Surplus and B30 Foodbank.

The cookery school teaches bread-making and cooking skills, with evening classes and masterclasses from guest chefs. Gift vouchers for future courses remain available while the school is between homes.

The big news is the move to the Stirchley Co-operative Development. The project is building 39 affordable apartments and three rental units, and it is supporting three local co-operatives: Loaf, artist-led gallery and bar Artefect, and Birmingham Bike Foundry. Construction delays have pushed back the opening, and Loaf is aiming to reopen in autumn 2026, with a date still to be announced.

In the meantime, Loaf has kept baking. It is running a pop-up from Wednesday to Saturday at DEADBEAT with Anosh Speciality Coffee at 1475 Pershore Road, and has taken its bakes to pop-ups at other local spots, such as Grace & James in Kings Heath. Supporters have backed the move through a Crowdfunder and offers of kitchen space, which says a lot about how the community feels about its bakery.

It is fitting that Loaf is part of a neighbourhood with such a strong co-operative history. Stirchley was once home to the Ten Acres and Stirchley Co-operative Society, which ran its own bakery, and in 2024 the Sunday Times named Stirchley the best place to live in the Midlands.

For pop-up dates, bread vouchers and updates on the new bakery, visit the Loaf website.