London’s Borough Market legend Bread Ahead is heading north at last — and they’re kicking things off in proper style: with a thousand free doughnuts.
From Monday 3rd November, the bakery will pop up inside Harvey Nichols Manchester, bringing its signature bakes and baking school spirit to the city for the first time. For anyone who’s ever queued at their Borough Market stall, you’ll know why this is a big deal. For everyone else – imagine a pillow-soft doughnut that’s more cream than crumb, filled so generously it’s barely holding together. That’s Bread Ahead.
They’re the team who made the Crème Brûlée doughnut famous – selling around 5,000 of them a day in London, and Manchester’s about to find out why. Alongside this you’ll find other favourites like Vanilla Custard, Sea Salted Caramel, Chocolate, Blackcurrant Cheesecake and Pistachio, plus a few limited editions made especially for autumn: Pumpkin Crème Brûlée, and S’mores.
And because they clearly know how to make an entrance, Bread Ahead are giving away 1,000 free doughnuts over their first two days – 500 on Monday 3rd November, another 500 on Tuesday 4th November, from 10am each day inside Harvey Nichols. One per person, until they’re gone. So yes, expect queues, but also expect to leave very happy.
Founder Matthew Jones says the Manchester pop-up is something fans have been asking for for years. “We’ve long wanted to branch out regionally, and this felt like the perfect way to do it. We’re really excited to bring our doughnuts to Manchester and thrilled to be working with Harvey Nichols.”
It’s a neat fit: Harvey Nichols has quietly become one of the city’s most consistent collaborators when it comes to pop-ups and guest residencies. Gavin Hudson, the store’s General Manager, said: “Bread Ahead is a true institution in Borough Market, so when Matthew and the team got in touch, we knew their offer would resonate with our customers. We’re sure the Crème Brûlée doughnut will become a firm favourite here too.”
The pop-up will run for three months on the Ground Floor of Harvey Nichols – so if you miss the freebie window, don’t panic. The scent of fresh dough and caramelised sugar will be drifting across New Cathedral Street all winter.
Bread Ahead started life in 2013 with just three products and a single market stall. Ten years on, it’s grown into one of the UK’s most loved bakeries, complete with cookbooks, a dedicated online following, and baking schools from London to Dubai. During lockdown they ran free daily baking classes that reached hundreds of thousands of home bakers around the world.
Now, finally, it’s Manchester’s turn.
You’ll find Bread Ahead at Harvey Nichols, 21 New Cathedral Street, M1 1AD, from Monday 3 November – January 2026. Free doughnuts from 10am on Monday 3rd and Tuesday 4th November while they last.
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Baked Goods
