home from home

A highlight of our trip to Lyme Regis back in September was a visit to the Town Mill Bakery - a former garage converted into an organic bakery/cafe. Everything is on show, so if you're there at the right time you'll get to see the bakers making the various breads, rolls, cakes and pastries. The owners have clearly given considerable thought to the experience of visiting, making it relaxed, informal and even inspiring. Rows of long communal tables and a shared sugar bowl/butter dish/milk jug encourage you to interact with other customers while an iPod plays a random playlist in the background. Then there are shelves of design, architecture, cookery and interiors books and magazines for you to browse while you eat or drink. As we entered we were told to treat the place like our kitchen at home and shout if we wanted tea or coffee. Once you're ready to leave they trust you to pay for what you've consumed on the way out. There's so much to recommend there but, I have to say, the chocolate brownie was incredible.