Homesick Brits Create Replica Greggs Bakery In Their House In Australia
Selma Teskeredzic
Posted On April 13, 2020
A family of homesick Brits living over in Australia created their own slice of ol’ blighty by building a replica Greggs in their house. The Brindle family stocked up their ‘Greggs Down Under’ shop with authentic products based on actual recipes from Britain’s favourite bakery, all inside their Sydney home.
“It was mine and my hubby’s idea as a good way to combine my baking skills, his creativity and to keep the kids off their tablets for at least an hour.” said Michelle Brindle.
“It also been an excellent way to control the number of snack the kids have. When at school they only have one piece of fruit and then lunch, yet when at home they require over 376,832 a day!
“So, we have set up shop each morning with a list of goodies, snacks and treats and they have $4 a day to spend. It has kept them entertained and prevented the constant ‘I am Hungry’ cries.”
The family ended up in Oz after leaving Croydon in July 2019 for a life of travelling and adventure. They pitched up in Australia last December – before all of this kicked off – after hitting up 12 countries in total.
However, as huge Greggs fans, they were shocked to discover that Australia is ‘seriously lacking in the tasty, cheap and quick food department’.
Michelle continued: “The biggest thing we are struggling with when adjusting to Aussie life is the food.
“British people have it so good and they don’t even know it.
“Fish and chips, Chinese… even a Indian curry is not the same. The various Facebook groups for Poms in Australia are full of requests for decent takeaways.
“A good old Toby Carvery is non-existent and even Starbucks can only be found in a very few select places.
“What I wouldn’t give for a Pret, Greggs, even a Costa!”
Armed only with a load of cardboard, and some elbow grease, they’ve managed to design and build the only Greggs – albeit unofficial – on the continent of Oceania.
Michelle explained: “Ironically it is built out of the cardboard our treadmill came in.
“We are not health focused people in the slightest (hence building a Greggs) but realised the potential of six months indoors could lead to some serious weight gain.
“Also, being parents of two very active boys we have a huge amount of random craft material lying around the house.
“It helped that it was my son’s 8th birthday on the 4th and we held a full-on Nerf battle in the house so had lots of blue, orange and yellow stuff around.”
