Piece of cake for baker to the stars

6 Aug 2019 03:40
Published by: Daniel Almond

 

SUGARY treats will be hitting the high street with the opening of a brand new cake shop.

Kelly Diggle-Hillman is bringing creative confections loved by the likes of Paddy McGuinness to her home town of Bolton.

Mrs Diggle-Hillman’s new shop, Cakes by Design, will be opening in Market Street, Westhoughton, and the baker is excited see how local customers react to her colourful, themed cakes.

She said: “I’ve made cakes for Paddy McGuinness, I made Kerry Katona’s wedding cake, I’ve made cakes for lots of professional boxers. But a lot of my customers are from Bolton because I’m originally from Bolton, so I always wanted to open a small branch for people in Bolton.

“I’m a Bolton girl at heart - I can’t wait.”

The savvy businesswoman, from Smithills, opened her first Cakes by Design shop five years ago in St Helens after a career change, being told by people that it would never work out.

Mrs Diggle-Hillman, 42, said: “I gave my job up in mental health I remember panicking because I was in this big shop all on my own. Five years later, I’m still here. People said it would never work in St Helens.

“But it has gone from strength to strength. I get returning, loyal customers. I even had a man who came all the way from London, four hours here and fours hours back, just to get a cake.

“My dad was a really hard-working business owner, I wanted to do something that would make him proud.”

Mrs Diggle-Hillman is renovating the space and perfecting it for customers before the launch.

Her business will have a spot under the same roof as Jueles Events & Occasions' building in Market Street and she’s looking forward to seeing customers on a daily basis, specialising in cute cupcakes that people can snap up when they visit.

“My shop in St Helens is very Alice in Wonderland, full of flowers, so I think that it’s going to be the same theme in Westhoughton.

“Where I am at the moment, we don’t have much footfall and it’s all ordering, baking and picking up. In Westhoughton there is a lot more people around on the high street, we’re thinking of doing cupcakes that people can buy as well as picking up bigger cakes.

“Westhoughton is quite a cool place, it’s up and coming. I’m excited, especially to build up the cupcake side of the business, I’m hopeful it’s as successful as my first shop really.”

Mrs Diggle-Hillman says she is hoping to bring on staff with the opening of her second location.

“I’m going to split my time in between the two shops, my plan for the expansion is to grow and employ some staff.”

The cake counter in Westhoughton will officially launch on August 5, with cupcakes available from August 10.

 

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