Two sisters are bringing homemade bakes and natural dog treats to Wilford village through a new venture based at a renovated cottage.
Clara, 20, and Bella, 22, are behind Bakes & Barks, combining Clara’s baking with Bella’s experience in hospitality and dog care.
Clara runs the honesty-style cake shed alongside her full-time job in marketing, baking everything herself and fitting preparations around her working day. She said the shed sold out on each of its first eight days.
Her sister’s natural dog treats shed forms the other part of the venture, giving visitors the opportunity to pick up something for their dogs too.
“We wanted to create something a little different for the local community, combining our interests and giving people a reason to stop by,” said Clara.
Bella previously ran several coffee trailers around the Vale of Belvoir and now owns Saxondale Doggy Daycare. Clara has been putting her marketing experience to use while developing recipes and preparing the shed at her home.
The cottage itself has already attracted attention online. Clara has been sharing its renovation on TikTok, where she has built an audience of nearly 3,000 followers. One renovation video has received more than 1.2 million views.
She said sharing the work on the cottage had also helped people discover the cake shed.
“We’ve only been open for eight days, and we’ve genuinely been blown away by the support. We’ve sold out every single day so far, which is something I never expected so quickly!” she said.
“It’s been so lovely seeing people stop by, share our posts and support a small local business. We’re incredibly grateful to everyone who has visited, recommended us or helped spread the word.”
Cookies have been particularly popular, and Clara is continuing to experiment with recipes. The range includes brownies, cookie pies, traybakes and other homemade treats.
The sisters are already considering how the business could develop, although their plans remain at an early stage.
Clara hopes to introduce postal bakes and made-to-order treats for birthdays and special occasions, including cookie pies and locally delivered Christmas Yule logs.
Another shed is on the way, with a possible second location under consideration. One idea is to dedicate a shed entirely to cookies, while keeping a wider selection of bakes in the other.
Longer term, the sisters would like to open a dog-friendly café, serving freshly baked treats alongside a separate area selling natural dog treats and pet accessories.
“We’re still at the very beginning, but there are so many things we’d love to do, and it’s exciting to see how much support there’s already been,” said Clara.
