Revealed: Plans to build trendy London bakery on famous Midsummer Oak tree site in Milton Keynes shopping centre

Gail’s bakery and coffee shop, famous for its sticky cinnamon buns, fresh baked goods and speciality breads, has submitted a planning application that will drastically change the historic space.

Councillors are due to decide later this Spring whether to give permission.

But the Citizen can bring you first glimpse of the plan, which involves a 137 square metre store with a large canopy-covered outside seating area being built on the circular site, which has housed the upside-down house since 2020.

A giant oak tree had stood there for decades and, after a campaign by local people to save it, the Midsummer Place shopping centre was literally built around it several decades ago.

But over the years the tree started showing signs of deterioration, with experts saying its roots were drowning. Finally, in 2016, it was declared dead and carted away – with dozens of its acorns saved to plant elsewhere in the city.

Since then the vacant space has been covered with astroturf in the middle of the circular seating, but has failed to take off as a popular venue.

Gail’s bosses plan to remove the astroturf and decking and alter the seating, providing landscaped areas and planters using orginal timber from the oak tree.

There will be a raised floor infill with aluminium deck boards next to a “hemisphere shaped” single storey unit with glazed and partially cladded frontage that will serve as the bakery shop.

The aim to to offer “a welcoming space where people can meet, gather and connect with one another,” they say.

"In addition to fostering social interaction, it will encourage visitors to spend more time in this part of the shopping centre,” they add.

American-owned Gail’s was launched in the 1990s when Gail Mejia brought the best bakers together to bake for London’s top chefs and restaurants.

The first Gail’s bakery was opened in London’s Hampstead High Street in 2005. Today, there are Gail’s bakeries all over London, as well as in Oxford, Brighton and beyond.