Iconic Lurgan firm, Golden Crust Bakery, celebrates 50 years in business with lots of special tasty treats in store for customers

Owner Gerald Crossey, who is now in his 80s, owned a Spar in Taghnevan and it used to be supplied by a bakery in Edward St where the car park is now near Reid’s Bar.

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Mr Crossey bought the bakery off a Mr McAtasney in 1976 starting a half century of supplying tasty tray bakes, sumptuous sodas and much more to Lurgan and beyond.

Paul, Gerald’s son who has taken over the business, revealed his father didn’t buy the premises however bought over the bakery equipment and employed the staff.

Paul said that, at one point, his father had 7 shops in the town. However when the bomb went off in Lurgan in 1992 some of the shops were forced to close.

“He then realised it didn’t make any difference. The customers would go to the other shops,” said Paul adding his father decided to consolidate the shops but still produce the same quality of goods.

Mr Crossey has had 2 shops for several decades now. The main bakery in Edward Street across from the Convent and another in North St.

"For me he’s a businessman but very much a local businessman. He’s not somebody who chased after fast profit. He provided a good business and good service, great bread, and employed local people,” said Paul.

"He’s very proud he has so many staff still on the books – some very loyal staff who have spent their whole careers here.

"He always had the ethos that if you do something that’s good then you’ll retain the customers,” said Paul adding his dad is now in his 80s and had, until recently, been coming into the store 6 days a week.

"He wasn’t working a full day but it was part of his routine. He always worked very hard. He was here every day part from Sunday,” said Paul.

"It was very important to keep the continuity, make sure everything runs smoothly and there’s no upset for the staff or the customers and the quality stays,” he said revealing that there are plans to branch out more in the future.

“What we have is really a hidden gem. Obviously our loyal customers know about it. The people of Lurgan know about it. As I take things to friends who live elsewhere in Belfast or across to England they can’t quite believe how good the stuff is,” said Paul.

Manager, Edel McConville revealed they will be having lots of events to celebrate the 50th anniversary including special days when some of their buns will be the same price they were in 1976.

Edel and the staff love all their customers who all enjoy the craic and banter when they go to get their fresh bread and cakes.

"We have a lovely crowd that come into the Golden Crust both at the Edward St and North St shops,” she said adding their bakery good are also snapped up by many local wholesalers and venues.

Icons, Palomo, Philip Greene, Mace, McCrory’s are just some of their other customers. Edel says they plan on expanding and on being in Lurgan for many more years to come.

Lurgan native Pauline Beatty has been working at the Edward Street store for 26 years. She laughs when I asked her about her baking skills. “I don’t do any baking. I’ve always been in the shop,” said Pauline smiling.

Pauline is one of the most familiar faces to customers coming to the shop although there are staff who have been working in the bakery for 35 and 40 years.

"You get older people coming in and asking for you,” said Pauline.

One of the stand-out moments of Pauline’s career was when an elephant came to visit Edward Street. She recalls having a photo of the experience but sadly couldn’t find it.

Pauline revealed there used to be a circus at Silverwood but they used to leave the elephant in a nearby field.

"They brought the elephant up by Silverwood to Edward St. We got word it was coming to Edward St and were asked if we would like to feed it,” she said. “So they got me to feed it.”

“It ate big loaves and baps and everything. Then the vegetable shop gave it food. It was eating cabbages, turnips, apples and oranges – just whole,” she said laughing. She is hoping the photo will turn up again or if anyone has photos of that event to share them.

Soda and wheaten farls are some of the most popular items for sale, indeed people come from all over to buy them and are regularly brought to family and friends in England, Scotland, Australia, America and beyond as a ‘taste of home’.

The Golden Crust Bakery is also world renowned for its cakes and she recalls getting asked for a wedding cake sent to New York.

A woman from Lurgan, but had been living in New York for decades, her daughter was getting married. She asked the Golden Crust to bake the cake and the mother brought it back to the United States for her daughter’s wedding. Pauline recalls getting a lovely letter from the mother thanking them for helping make her daughter’s wedding day so special.

Pauline recalls when she started working Sheila Nash was the boss. “She was great and very fair.”

So with their 50th anniversary, the Golden Crust Bakery will be having a number of celebrations throughout the year. And they are hoping you can share your memories and photos from years gone by.