Patisserie Valerie

Lullabelle

Midlands, England
Joined
14 Oct 2012
Local time
11:41 AM
Messages
9,391
Location
Leicester UK
What an enigma.

Many stories and questions: who was she, did she even exist? Whatever the truth the outlets are closing down, In Sainsburys today, they were only selling their own brand of cakes, no enormous calorie ridden delights from Madam (?) Valerie.

A real shame, they were such a delight for an occasional treat.
 
The worst thing (for me personally) is that I bought my youngest daughter a 'luxury tea for two' voucher at Patisserie Valerie as one of her Christmas Presents.
 
The next saddest thing for me is that I used to go to the original (and only) Patisserie Valerie on Old Compton St, Soho back in the heady days of 1970. But this iconic café which made all the patisserie on the premises had been their long before - in fact since the 1920's. Its astounding that this particular branch isn't to be retained. Its as much a Soho land mark and legacy of the war year as the French Pub.

There's been a Patisserie Valerie in Soho since the 1920s. Madame Valerie opened her first cafe on Frith Street in 1926. And when the Germans bombed it during World War 2, she simply upped sticks and moved around the corner to Old Compton Street where it's been ever since.

The above is not proven however:

But according to an edition of Soho Clarion magazine from 1988, the first Patisserie Valerie was opened by Carlos and Laura Fonteyn in the early 1920s, at 59/60 Dean Street, a parallel street. And there is evidence supporting that. The National Archives in London holds Post Office Directories going back almost 200 years.

It started expanding in the 80's and gradually added other outlets until it reached today's 193 cafés - most of which are now to close due to the company going into administration.
 
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