After a gap of 20 years a one-time family favourite is set to return to Braintree.

When Percival Legg retired in 1980 at the age of 72, Legg's Bakeries retired with him.

Situated in Friars Lane, the main bakery supplied shops in the High Street and Market Place as well as outlets in Halstead and Dunmow.

Although modern apartments now stand on the original bakery site, Mr Legg's son Brian is determined to re-open Leggs Bakery at Enterprise Court, Braintree in early August.

When his father retired, Mr Legg was unable to take the reins.

He said: "I was trying to carve out my own career at Sainsbury's in Braintree where I was bakery manager."

Mr Legg progressed through the ranks, becoming area bakery consultant then technical development manager.

After being made redundant in 1999, he decided it was time to put a long-term plan into effect.

He said: "It's always been a pipe dream to run the business. Now I have the opportunity."

The business will be run on traditional family lines with his son Jamie, but will benefit from the knowledge Brian picked up with Sainsbury.

He said: "Things seem to be moving away from the supermarkets. People are looking for a more specialised service - I think this is just what Braintree needs."

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