Flour Power City Bakery is launching its first bakery café in the new year, British Baker can reveal.

The Lewisham-based bakery business will be opening the new outlet on 1 January 2013 on Monson Road in Tunbridge Wells, which will become the company’s pilot bakery shop.

As a result of the move, Flour Power City has hired three new members of staff for the café and will be taking on a professional barista in 2013 to serve a selection of organic coffees alongside the company’s bakery goods.

Lisa Brook, managing director of Flour Power City Bakery, told British Baker: “When I took over the business a couple of years ago, I inherited three shops, two of which we decided to close. However, the site in Tunbridge Wells I felt had potential and, come August, the franchisees who were running the shop decided not to run it any more.

“So I could have closed it down and pay the lease off. However, after meeting Mary Portas earlier on in the year at the Pro-retail show, hosted by independent national wholesaler Palmer & Harvey, I took a look at the shop and thought I would have a go at it.”

She added that the shop will receive around £10,000-worth of investment, which includes the refurbishment of the site and equipment.

“My vision has always been to have Flour Power cafés, but it’s all about regeneration rather than leaving another empty shop on the high street and employing people, and it’s something that I know we can make work.”

Flour Power City Bakery currently employs 45 members of staff and produces approximately 70,000 handmade bakery products each week. It supplies its range of organic breads and to such customers as Leon Restaurants.