A new bakery business has been launched in Merseyside, British Baker can reveal.

Épi microbakery in Birkdale, Southport, was set up and launched last month by Tim Kirk, who previously worked in medical science for the last 25 years.

The self-funded bakery business produces a number of slow dough and sourdough breads, made with organic stoneground flour, including baguettes and a Birkdale sourdough rye, in addition to pesto breads, olive breads, biscotti and gingerbreads.

Kirk told British Baker: “The Épi microbakery has evolved out of my passion for baking bread. I studied the science and art of bread, intrigued at its endless combinations. I attended different bread-baking courses around the UK and developed our own starter cultures from wild Sea Buckthorn Berries from the Birkdale Sand Dunes close to our home.”

He added that, in the next five years, he would like to open the bakery’s first retail premises: “I have a very detailed vision and plan for the business. I want to continue to build the quality reputation of Épi as a specialised bakery for slow dough and sourdough breads and build the business locally with and for bread-lovers and quality restaurants in the region. When the business will support its own premises, then a bakery shop is next.”