Scotland, Edinburgh and East reporter
An Edinburgh bakery has hired a “queue warden” after parents from a local primary school warned its long line of customers were forcing children onto the road.
Lannan Bakery, in Edinburgh’s Stockbridge, has become an internet sensation and has a constant queue outside its shop.
But the pavement is quite narrow and, when it gets busy, the line of customers can present a challenge to pedestrians.
Bakery owner Darcie Maher told Scotland News she had recruited a steward to prioritise the safety of children passing from nearby Stockbridge Primary School.
Only eight people are allowed inside the Hamilton Place bakery at one time so the remainder stand outside on the street.
Some parents are understood to have complained to the school that the queue was forcing their children onto the road.
Ms Maher said: “The safety of the children and parents at Stockbridge Primary School is a priority for us at Lannan.
“We continue to work closely with the school and have engaged a queue warden to manage the queue.
“A new full-time member of staff has been brought on board for this purpose”.
Tourist Jasmine Rehberger, 22, from Kentucky in the US, emerged from the bakery with a strawberry and caramelised almond split.
She added: “I’ve never seen a queue steward before.
“It’s very unusual but it’s very logical though and makes sense.
“It makes everyone organised and stops pushing into the bakery.”
Wendy Fu, a student from Beijing in China, waited in the queue for half an-hour to buy five cakes.
The 23-year-old said: “I have never seen a warden at a bakery here in the UK but I have seen it in China, at places that have great marketing strategies for people to come.
“We have come a long way from campus to be here and I think a lot of other people do the same.
“I think its good that they have a tactic to keep people in line otherwise it would get really messy and block the road.”
Sophia Pearson, from Edinburgh, decided to join the queue after seeing lots of people with cake boxes walking past her shop further down the street.
The 38-year-old said: “I was surprised they had a member of staff keeping it from being overcrowded but I’ve never seen it at a bakery before.
“They do have a crowd to manage so I get it.
“The warden was polite, so I think they are doing a good job.”
Yushan Han, an Edinburgh University student from Hebei in China, said she visited the bakery after seeing it on social media.
The 23-year-old added: “I’ve come here three or four times and there is always a queue here.
“The pavement is too narrow so it is hard for people to pass but I think they have no choice because it is not easy for three people to walk along there in a line.
“The last time I came here, one month ago, they didn’t have a person to keep us in line but now they do.
“I think what they have done now is a good idea so others can go past.”
Councillor Stephen Jenkinson, the City of Edinburgh Council’s Transport and Environment Convener, said: “Our officers have had productive conversations with both Lannan and Stockbridge Primary School over these concerns.
“I understand that the bakery has now taken on an extra member of staff to manage the queue which is a step in the right direction.
“We want to support our businesses and make sure everyone can move around safely.
“We’ll continue to monitor the situation and engage as appropriate with the relevant parties.”
