Sugar Coates: Burnley woman launches ‘artistic’ new cake studio in Padiham

Katie Coates says she has taken a “big risk” by launching her business last Saturday as numerous other cake shops in the area have closed down due to the cost of living.

But the 27-year-old is determined to follow her passion and hopes her background in design can help her buck the trend and turn Sugar Coates Cake Studio in Burnley Road into a success.

“I’ve always been arty, and did art at college then design at university. From then, I worked as a designer but didn’t enjoy being at the computer all day in an office.

"I’ve always enjoyed interacting with people and doing things with my hands so in 2016 I started making cakes for my friends and family and did it full-time in lockdown. I then took a two-year break but the demand was still there and I was turning people away, so I decided to just go for it and take the plunge. I’m diving into the deep-end, and it is all new and scary.”

Katie, who specialises in bespoke wedding and celebration cakes, hopes her artistic style and meringue buttercream will help her business stand out, and says she draws on her design experience to experiment with different textures to make unique creations.

"I’m excited but nervous as it is all very new to me. But you have to take a risk and I’m excited for what the future bring. All the cake shops in Burnley have either closed down or changed the way they work. If people aren’t spending money on cakes, then I'm taking a big risk but if you don’t try, you won’t know what works. So I’m slowly building it up to see what works.”

So far, the new venture has been a hit with foodie fans who were excited to get their hands on some tasty treats on the opening day, with Katie adding: “It was a good turn-out and we had people waiting at the door for us to open.”

The studio will serve as a collection point for cake orders but Katie also plans to host pop-up over-the-counter sales, with the first two taking place tomorrow (Friday) from 10am to 5pm and on Saturday from 10am to 3pm.