Thomas the Baker is refurbishing its Helmsley deli

Thomas the Baker is refurbishing its Helmsley deli to incorporate a bakery and wider range of products

The work will also lead to a consolidation of the two Thomas’ stores within the town.

The existing Thomas the Baker shop, which is currently based opposite the deli on Helmsley’s Market Place, will relocate to within the newly revamped store.

Work is now underway on the building, the listed part of which is thought to date back to the 1800s, and is expected to be completed by September.

During the refurbishment there may be some need for temporary closures to ensure the safety of the staff and public, however, where possible temporary trading arrangements will be made to service customers’ needs.

Thomas the Baker was established in 1981, with the opening of a Bakery in Malton, followed by Helmsley a year later, and now standing at 33 shops across Yorkshire. All of the teams currently working in both Helmsley stores will remain employed.

John Thomas, founder of Thomas the Baker, said: “As an organisation, our Bakery and head office is in Helmsley and we live just seven miles away and therefore the town is very close to our hearts.

“The time was right to invest in sorting out the many problems that arise when you own such an old building, and that gave us the opportunity to really think about what we wanted the deli to become.

“The lease was up on our bakery shop across the road, and so it seemed like fate that the two should be joined together, making it even easier for our customers, and creating a fantastic one-stop shop.

“We’d really like to say thank you to our customers, and apologise for the inconveniences which have arisen from the building work.

“We truly appreciate how understanding everyone has been.”