Popular Mick the Baker hands over Stuston business due to upcoming operation

A much-loved Stuston baker, who has delighted customers all over the area for 28 years, is set to hand over his apron to a new owner as he prepares for an operation.

Mick Eldridge, better known as Mick the Baker, announced this week that, due to a hip operation in January, he has made the difficult decision to hand over his Old Bury Road bakery to someone new.

Having moved to Norfolk in 1991, the baker has served many customers in quite a few locations.

Mick said: “I first moved into The Swan in Garboldisham when it was just a house, then I turned it into a tea room and a bakery and that went manic.

“Then I moved to Bardwell Windmill, Stanton, Horringer, Redgrave and finally Stuston in February.”

The Londoner started baking bread at the tender age of 15, having left school early with a dream of becoming a trucker.

His plans quickly changed when he found out that he had to be 21 to get an HGV licence. Instead, he took up an apprenticeship in an East London bakery and eventually opened his first venture in Chadwell Heath in 1984.

Almost 40 years later and, having agreed with his surgeon to rest prior to his procedure next year, he decided the time was right to step away from the industry he loves – for a short time at least.

The 65-year-old said: “It is a temporary retirement. I could never retire as I have to work – I am not good at not working.

“So I will have two months off for the recovery and then start up somewhere well away from here so as not to rock the boat.”

Asked what he loves about his job, he said: “I love creating stuff.

“The good thing around here is that I am probably one of only a few bakers who makes it, bakes it, sells it, delivers it, packs it up and then starts again. I am a complete one-man band and I love that, too.

“I average 16-hour days and you would have thought that, after 50 years of getting up at 3am every day, I would want to end that, but I don’t.”

Something Mick will not be giving up any time soon is his music with his Mick The Baker Band.

Originally a drummer in punk era bands in the 1970s, he now plays guitar, sings, plays conga drums and percussion in his jazz, funk and soul act.

He said: “I picked January for the operation as it is normally quiet for our gigging, but, would you believe it, I have already had to turn down two since agreeing to the procedure.”

The baker said it was going to be very emotional in Christmas week when he leaves, handing over the shop to another traditional baker, Jonathan Clarke.

Mick said: “I’m running it until December 16, then John will take over, renaming it Clarke’s Bakery and I will help him out on December 20 and 21.

“I am going to miss the customers, because I have the best customers and we have had such a good laugh. I am a real people person.

“I would just like to say thanks for all their support and for being the best customers. I have made so many friends. I say love, peas and happiness to them all.”