Customers are queuing out the door for Mon Petit Chou in Aigburth, the and its French-style pastries

Just two months after opening, Mon Petit Chou in Aigburth bakery has built up such a fanbase that customers are queueing out the door for its French-style pastries.

Mon Petit Chou started as a lockdown business when owner Betty Morris was furloughed from her job as a pastry chef at 60 Hope Street restaurant.

The 29-year-old turned the basement of her home in Hope Place in the city centre into a microbakery, set up an Instagram page and began selling her patisserie creations for collection and delivery.

It proved so popular that Betty decided to look for permanent premises once everything opened up again. She found the location she was looking for on Aigburth Road and launched her Mon Petit Chou shop in December last year, baking everything fresh each day to sell straight from the counter.

Since then it’s just kept on growing and she’s been overwhelmed by the response, selling out every day they open within a few hours.

Betty says lockdown gave her the opportunity to start her own business after planning to do it for years.

“I’d had the name Mon Petit Chou in the back of my mind for a while because it was something I’d always wanted to do,” she explains. “But it probably never would have happened without the pandemic because it’s such a big risk to quit your job and try and start something.

“Being furloughed gave me the chance and also everyone’s mindset changed during that time and they wanted to support local businesses more to keep them going, so it was like the perfect storm to set it up.”

Betty, who trained at Liverpool Community College, says at first customers were buying as a pick-me-up for themselves or to send as a treat to family and friends.

But now they have regulars every week, and she’s drafted in her mum Cathy to help out in the shop, along with friend Flossie who did the original deliveries and staff who run the counter while she bakes.

Mon Petit Chou opens on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays, when Betty’s day starts at 5.30am baking pastries first, then tarts, followed by choux buns – one of the shop’s signature bakes.

As well as sweet toppings, there are savoury ones like mushroom duxelles with soft cheese, parmesan and tarragon, brie and shallot chutney, and roast heritage tomato and mozzarella with hazelnut pesto. And she bakes brioche buns every morning ready to be filled for lunchtime.

The shop also sells takeaway hot drinks, and fresh bread from neighbouring Plattsville Bakehouse – another local lockdown business that’s been booming.

With Valentine’s Day coming up, Betty says even though the shop won’t be open on the Tuesday she’ll be theming it over the next two weekends for early – and late – romantic treats.

But anyone intending to surprised a loved one might have to make sure they get there quickly – the counter opens at 10am each day and is normally sold out before 1pm.

“I thought January might be a slow month but it’s just got busier and busier,” says Betty. “Every morning before we open the doors I think, I wonder if anyone will come today? But they always do, we feel like a real neighbourhood shop which has been lovely for us.”