Bramley woman builds ‘Fat Pigeon’ bakery in her back yard

By Noah Roberts

A Bramley woman has converted a 19th century coach house in her back yard into a bakery called “Fat Pigeon”. 

Ruth Diskin who works as a baker at the Mill Kitchen in Farsley, is relatively new to Bramley having moved here two years ago from Burley.  

She said: “I noticed something really different about Bramley as soon as I moved here. It has such a lovely sense of community. I am not far from Bramley centre, which feels like a place people gather to get the latest news and Bramley has that feeling of a place where  everybody knows each other.”

Ruth spent all summer renovating an old 19th century coach house and converting it into a bakery in her back yard. She did all the work herself, painting the floor, plastering, adding doors and windows, all while slowing buying bakery equipment she would need. 

The bakery – Fat Pigeon – is located on Broad Lane a few doors down from Bramley’s historic landmark Bramley Baths. She thinks local builders used to own the street which the coach house was part of and was part of a short cut to a local pub which no longer exists. 

Ruth welcomes any locals and historians to pop in and have a chat and share their knowledge of the area, while trying out her offerings.  

Ruth opened a bakery in her back yard last month getting her first customers from local leaflet into neighbouring properties. The inspiration for the name of her bakery comes from the pigeons who frequent her back garden who, she says, are the well-loved Fat Pigeons of Bramley. 

Ruth uses local suppliers and is part of the Yorkshire Green alliance whose focus is about promoting the use of whole grains and working with bakers, millers and farmers to make more sustainable changes and reduce climate change. Ruth bakes sourdough fresh loaves every weekend using less white flour as is used in regular shop bought bread. 

The bakery is open every Saturday morning between 10am and 12pm, and is easily noticeable by an ‘A’ frame outside the gate on the path. Anyone can pop through the yard to the coach house and buy fresh baked loads of sourdough bread, baguettes and succulent pastries like croissants, choc au pains. 

Ruth’s vision is to create a space for local people can buy locally.

“Fresh baked goods that are more sustainable and don’t cost the earth,” she said.

She is open to ideas from the local community about what is important, what people would like at the bakery and how she can help out local causes. You can contact her on X @ruthdiskin  or instagram fat_pigeon_bakery or pop in and say hello when the bakery is open on Saturday morning.