Alloa, 6-10 Mar Street, Hope The Bakers

NMRS REFERENCE:

This bakery closed for business during 2000.

Oven No. 2, the second coal-fired oven in the premises, was made by T. Merlin, St Rollox Works, Glasgow.

Oven No. 1 is the first of 2 coal-fired ovens with a pastry brake machine made by Waddell of Wishaw.

Steam Oven made by Cruikshank of Edinburgh in the early 20th Century.

Flue Access Panel for Oven No.2 was made by T. Melvin, St Rollox Iron Works, Glasgow.

Scotch-Pie crust moulding machine was made by Waddell of Wishaw.

2-storey commercial premises with 6-bay pilastered shopfront at ground and 3-bay residential accommodation above, in terraced street, with early 19th century baking oven to rear. Rendered, squared and coursed stone. Painted shopfront. Base course, continuous fascia and cornice. 12-pane timber sash and case windows; grey slate roof; single cast-iron rooflight: coped skews; stone stack to left mutual gable, removed to right. Fascia declaring the establishment of Hope bakers in 1810 (as at date of listing).

The survival of the brick oven is particularly interesting: it may well be the oldest oven still in use (1994) in Britain. The pilastered shopfront, 12-pane timber windows and unbroken roofline are themselves meritorious. (Historic Environment Scotland List Entry)