The Thoughtful Bread Company has opened its first flagship bakery, shop and school, in a move which has seen the business relocate to the centre of Bath.

The bakery, which secured investment for the project through crowdfunding website Crowdcube more than a year ago, had previously been located outside the city.

Duncan Glendinning, founder, said: “The intention was to run a local bakery, but the rental and planning restrictions prohibited us from doing so from the outset, which is why we were landed in an out-of-town production unit.”

While it only took nine days for the bakery to raise the target £55k investment it was searching for, a suitable premises did not materialise until late 2013, it said.

Not long before Christmas, the business secured a premises in the heart of the World Heritage City of Bath, and has just opened its bakery shop and school.

Glendinning said: “I am delighted to finally have my whole team reunited under one roof. The future of real bread bakeries are those that can bake and retail in one place. We are able share our passion and run bakery and patisserie courses in our own dedicated space.”

Priced from £160, bakery courses include membership to the Real Bread Campaign, at a value of £35, and a goodie bag.

Established in 2009 as a predominantly wholesale-led business, the company offered equity for investment in October 2012. A total of 34 investors pledged money to the bakery, with The Thoughtful Bread Company offering up a 20% share of the business – to be split between the investors – in return.