To The Rise
Brand new sourdough bakery in Eastbourne ‘To The Rise’ tells us about its journey to opening its first store with the support of family, friends, and a Start-Up-Loan from Let’s Do Business Group.
‘To The Rise’ Bakery is a female led, 100% sourdough bakery offering bread, sweet buns, and pizza Thursday-Sunday from their prominent Terminus Road location in Eastbourne. Using carefully sourced, organic and local ingredients, they pride themselves on bringing European style breads and pastry to East Sussex. A stone’s throw from both the town and beach, whether you are shopping or sunbathing, you can now enjoy a coffee and a treat from this friendly, forward thinking set of entrepreneurs.
Back in 2019 sisters Lauren, Josie and Morgan Pollard had all gone off in different directions, exploring their own opportunities, Lauren was training to be a chef, Morgan was completing a degree in textile design and Josie had moved to Germany to fulfil a role as a researcher. Lauren then floated the idea of opening a café/bakery which over time turned in a family adventure.
Starting out amidst a global pandemic, They began baking out of their family home and providing home delivered orders to both trade and the public. Something that makes To The Rise unique, is it is one of the few bakeries in East Sussex which provides 100% sourdough bread. It is an artisanal and historical process of making bread that requires a skilled process of fermentation and resting. It makes its loaves in 48 hours and for 8 of those hours the dough is kept in the cold. This is important as it creates a special sweet and chewy crust.
Building up a following via social media, in particular Instagram, and attending some local markets, demand quickly outweighed supply and they started looking for a permanent home. They then reached out to Business Manager Emily Wright from Let’s Do Business Group for support in finding suitable funding options that might be available to them. Emily introduced them to the team at Let’s Do Business Finance and supported them with applying for a £25,000 Start-Up-Loan to help secure a premises on Terminus Road, Eastbourne.
“Emily at Let’s Do Business Group was the first person we contacted when we started to put together our project. She has been fantastic, really getting to know us and our business and helping us navigate our way through the various funding opportunities available to us. She has also been fantastic moral support, encouraging us not to give up, despite the challenges we were facing. We really valued that.”
Let’s Do Business Finance are an official delivery partner of Start-Up-Loans on behalf of the British Business Bank. Available to businesses who have been trading for under 3 years, applicants can apply for up to £25,000 over a period of up to 5 years, at a fixed rate of 6% APR to help launch and develop a business idea. This fantastic scheme ensures those who may not be eligible for mainstream finance are able to have a chance to fulfil their dreams of starting a business.
Receiving a £25,000 Start-Up-Loan ensured that To The Rise Bakery could secure their chosen premises on the popular and up and coming ‘Terminus Road’ in Eastbourne. Nicknamed ‘Food Street’ this area has been primed for regeneration and will shortly be receiving large investment through the governments ‘Levelling Up Fund’ turning it into a prime location for hospitality businesses.
“It’s been a challenge, but it has all led to us finding the ideal location for us, everything about it is perfect.”
Receiving the keys to their new premises in December, it was all hands on deck to get their premises ready for opening in March 2022. Completing the majority of the work themselves, each member of the family used their unique strengths to form a powerhouse team ready to take on any challenge that faces them. Officially opening its doors on 19th March 2022, ‘To The Rise Bakery’ has had an influx of visitors, all excited to see what this new business has to offer.
“Since we opened its been so busy, we had queues outside the door and even sold out of bread on several occasions. The community has been so supportive, getting behind us all, and all the other businesses on the street have been so welcoming. It’s been such a journey, but it’s been worth every second.”
Looking to the future, the possibilities for this artisan bakery are endless. Excited for the future, To The Rise are keen to explore a variety of options for future development, including outdoor dining, pizza parties, and offering alcoholic drinks options. They are also in the process of recruiting for an apprentice to join the team, that can learn and grow with them as they continue to develop. Already building relationships with other local producers, we can’t wait to see where they take the business next.
To The Rise Bakery is open Thursday – Sunday 7am-3pm at 36 Terminus Road, Eastbourne, or you can visit their website www.totherisebakery.com. Pay them a visit to try out their delicious bakes, or purchase from their range of branded merchandise.
“I was only too happy to consider an application for Lauren under the Start-Up Loan Scheme. This is certainly a scenario where funding under the scheme was suitable. The business had shown a good deal of success to date especially considering restrictions experienced as a business operating from home. It was clear The Rise Bakery was showing signs of growth. With an ever-increasing demand for their products being seen and when the opportunity arose to secure commercial premises, it seemed the right time to make that transition. I was provided with a comprehensive and detailed application and on the occasions, I spoke with her, it was clear she was very knowledgeable about the sector and was very focused on making sure her business was a success. It was also pleasing that “Lets Do Business Group” were able to provide sufficient funding to make the transition a reality through utilising the various funding schemes we deliver.”
