Liverpool bakery is opening on Christmas Day for community to get together

A south Liverpool bakery is opening on Christmas Day so the community can have a chance to celebrate together.

Catherine Braidy on Aigburth Road will be serving free hot drinks and Danish pastries for anyone who might be otherwise spending Christmas alone, or who is just looking for a nice friendly way to start the day.

This will be the third year owners of the shop, which specialises in cupcakes and occasion cakes, have decided to turn it into an informal festive hub on Christmas morning.

The first was in 2019, not long after bakers Cath Williams and Braidy Maloney moved their business there from the Baltic Triangle.

They realised that the shop – which was previously Kinsey’s bakery – had become a place for people to meet and they didn’t want that to disappear on Christmas Day.

“A lady, who’s recently died, used to come in and see us quite often, she’d chat to us and she became our friend,” explains Cath. “She was a lovely lady and really sociable, but she lived on her own so she really enjoyed having someone to talk to.

“Knowing that was what gave us the idea to open on our first Christmas here. We just thought before you’re having dinner there isn’t that much to do once you’ve got everything prepared so you might as well get together, see each other and wish each other a Happy Christmas.”

On from 10am to 1pm, all ages go along and everyone has their own different reason for being there.

“We get a good mix and not everyone is on their own,” says Cath. “We have lots of regular customers, so they come and say hi, often on their way to see their families, because it’s an extra social thing to do on Christmas Day.

“Last year there was a lady from Bolton who was planning to take part in a run in Warrington on Christmas morning. She’d heard about us, so she came along after she’d done the run because otherwise she was going to be on her own all day. She still keeps in touch, so I think she’s going to come back again this year.”

Cath and Braidy have their own families at home to spend Christmas Day with, but they say sharing it with other people only makes it more special.

“We both come in on the morning and we love it, especially now our kids have grown up,” says Cath. “My son and Braidy’s two boys come as well because they don’t see each other through the year, so it’s nice for them too, and I’m lucky because my sister and my mum usually cook the Christmas dinner so I just make the dessert and take that along once we’ve finished in the shop.”

Now it’s become a regular event, Cath says they often get people messaging to ask if any volunteers are wanted to help out on the day.

“We honestly don’t need any because it’s only a small get together but if they do want to come and muck in then they can, everyone’s welcome.”