Scottish bakery permanently closing locations in Scarborough and Whitby after 58 years

A Scottish bakery that has been producing potato scones, steak and kidney pies and shortbread to customers in Scarborough and Durham for nearly 60 years is closing shop.

The last day for the two remaining locations of But ‘n’ Ben Scottish Bakery in Whitby and Scarborough will be June 22. A condo development pushed out the bakery from its Pickering location last September.

“Better Canna Be” is the motto for the bakery, which can trace its roots back to a bakery that was established in Scotland in 1914.

Alexander Baird arrived in Canada with his wife and daughter in 1966, bringing with him all the traditional family recipes from the family bakery in Scotland, and opened a butcher shop and bakery in Scarborough two years later.

The bake house was soon moved to 619 Kingston Road in Pickering and on their 50th anniversary in Canada the family opened a third location in Whitby at 3500 Brock Rd. N.

The decision to close the Whitby store and the location at 1601 Ellesmere Road was a simple one: it was time to retire after 56 years in business in Canada.

“The time has come to hang up our rolling pins and trade in those recipe books for travel and leisure magazine, read a statement from the family. “Saturday June 22 will be our last day of operation at our two retail outlets.”

But ‘n’ Ben has assembled a loyal following in their years serving the eastern GTA, with a full line of Scottish breads, scones, Aberdeen butteries, crumpets, soda scones and a variety of tea biscuits; fancy items like empire biscuits, fern tarts and custard slices; and savory favourites such as bridies, sausage rolls, roasted potato pies and meat pies like steak and Guiness and onion and mushroom.

Cakes for weddings and other special events are also popular and the butcher side of the business does big business too, with square and round sausage, black pudding, haggis and Ayrshire bacon on the menu.

“It has been with great pride and pleasure that our family business has produced six generations of bakers and millions of potato scones,” the message continued, with the bakery thanking its loyal customers over the past 58 years and a “huge thank you” to the staff, both past and present.

“Without them But ‘n’ Ben would not have become a household name in the British community.”

The response from the community was one of sadness from customers who will no longer be able to get their traditional “taste of back home.”

“Sad to hear that. I have been a regular customer since I came to Canada in 1976.” – Janette

“I’m going to miss these stores. Every couple weeks we picked up fresh square sausages, potatoes scones and cakes to have for breakfasts. The frozen stuff just tastes terrible at the other places. I will have to learn how to make these now.” – Leslee

“So sad. My family has shopped there since you opened. Happy retirement.” – Lynn