Our Story

In 1973 Jeremy Thompson moved from Yorkshire with his wife and three very young children. Their destination was Seagulls House in the heart of Salcombe, directly on the foreshore.

At the time it was of little consequence to Jeremy that the house he had bought came attached with Couzins Bakery. He had no intention to bake, nor any idea how to! His dream was to make a living fishing! However, the fish were scarce and money scarcer so with three hungry children to feed his wife convinced him to “have a go” at making a loaf of bread.

Within a few months Couzins Bakery became The Upper Crust and Jeremy was producing more than just bread. For the time it was very innovative that he was creating and baking croissants, in the mid 70’s the croissant didn’t sell like it does today. Being foreign and hard to pronounce it was viewed with suspicion by many customers.

Forty plus year on, and the croissant is enormously sought after, so much so that on the odd occasion demand will outstrip supply. The Upper Crust is now known as The Bake House and has been run since 2007 by Ben and Stefanie Holt-Wilson. Stefanie is Jeremy’s daughter.