Gail’s, the cafe chain beloved of the middle classes, has opened its first outlet at a UK airport.
The coffee shop and bakery brand announced on Friday that tourists jetting out of Gatwick‘s South Terminal can now take to the skies with a Gail’s flat white in hand – and even pick up a souvenir or two.
It’s the latest statement of intent from the London-born brand, which started as a single store in Hampstead but has since enjoyed a prolific expansion across the capital and beyond.
The cafe now has more than 180 branches across the UK and those flying off on holiday will be able to choose to sit in what’s described as a ‘spacious seating area’ or grab-n-go from the brand’s signature pastries and sandwiches.
Breakfast items will be on the menu too, alongside ‘salads, sweet treats, and hot and cold made-to-order drinks’.
Announcing the news on its Instagram page this afternoon, the company wrote: ‘You can now enjoy our handcrafted baked goods, specialty coffee and an exclusive gifting range before take-off – because who says you can’t have a GAIL’s croissant at 30,000 feet?’
The reaction from fans of the bakery, known for its distinctive red-and-white signage, welcomed the news.
One enthused person called the opening a ‘game changer’, while another wrote: ‘A good reason to travel from LGW!’
Flying in! A new outlet of Gail’s bakery, which started life as a lone cafe in Hampstead, has now opened at Gatwick’s South Terminal
Food and drink at the nation’s airports increasingly reflect the high street, with Gatwick, which has 28 dining options with Gail’s, now counting Itsu, Wetherspoon, Nando’s and Greggs amongst its offering to travellers.
Last year, the airport also opened Sussex House, an eatery that showcases local produce including Bush Barn Farm’s elderflower and rhubarb cordial and Surrey’s Silly Moo Cider, which costs £7.00 a pint.
Nick Ayerst, Gail’s Managing Director, said of its latest outpost: ‘We are thrilled to be opening our first airport location in London Gatwick’s South Terminal, building on the established success driven by new locations in London transport hubs.
‘We’ve developed an extensive range to meet the specific needs of airport passengers and we look forward to sharing freshly baked, high-quality food and specialty coffee to those travelling through London Gatwick and beyond.’
Over at Heathrow, London’s busiest airport, the dining opportunities have also evolved.
Fans of the bakery brand can expert its signature pastries and hot-and-cold drinks made to order
Its bustling terminals feature everything from traditional English pubs, such as the Prince of Wales, to fine dining restaurants like Caviar House & Prunier Seafood Bar and Fortnum & Mason. Meanwhile Gordon Ramsay Plane Food brings gourmet dining to Terminal 5.
Gail’s rise to prominence hasn’t been without a few lumps in the pastry batter – with many suggesting the brand signals gentrification, which prices out long-term residents of towns.
In Walthamstow earlier this year, a petition was signed to stop the company opening on the London town’s High Street amid fears it could run independent cafes out of business.
