Horncastle’s Myers Bakery is justly famous for its Lincolnshire Plum Bread... but the company’s new tea loaf is set to be just as popular. We meet fifth generation baker Robert Myers to enjoy a taste of the county’s newest afternoon tea treat

There are few afternoon treats quite like Plum Loaf; soft, indulgent, real comfort food. Lincolnshire’s most famous supplier of the tea time favourite is Myers Bakery of Horncastle, who bake around 4,000 loaves each week.

However, not content with producing just one of the county’s most sought after cakes, the company has launched its new Tea Loaf to run alongside Plum Loaf, a new product that’s set to become almost as popular as Lincolnshire’s famous afternoon tea treat.

“Everybody loves Plum Bread.” says Robert Myers, the company’s fourth generation of baker. “We wanted a product which could stand alongside it and be enjoyed as an afternoon tea cake. We produced a few small batches, took them to last year’s county shows and the feedback was amazing!”

The company has been baking in Horncastle for nearly four decades, with Charles Myers originally operating from Alford’s six-sailed windmill baking his plum loaf with sons Reg and Lewis. In 1932 Lewis and wife Kathleen  moved to the company’s first shop in Mareham-le-Fen with Charles’ grandsons Derrick.

Fourth generation of bakers Richard and Michael took over the business in the late 1970s, later employing the fifth generation of Myers... great-grandson Robert and great-granddaughter Marie. There’s no doubt Myers is still very much a family-run business but tradition has given way to some modern practises, with an internet shop and newly created delicatessen.

“The bakery has always been successful since it opened in 1969.” says Robert.

“About 70% of our business is retail with the remaining 30% wholesale, supplying plum loaves to selected farm shops and specialist food outlets.”