Lannan’s blockbusting queue has been a familiar sight in Stockbridge since July. Baker-patron Darcie Maher initially put it down to opening-day excitement. ‘But the next weekend the same thing happened and it’s been happening every weekend since. It’s completely mind-blowing,’ she says. ‘I think the queue is now a maximum of an hour and a half. When we first opened, it was two and a half, which is mad. I think people now know what they’re letting themselves in for.’  

Darcie launched Lannan in partnership with ex-employers James Snowdon and Lloyd Morse (of The Palmerston) plus Chloe Black from The Edinburgh Butter Company (smart move: Lannan now uses about 110kg of butter a week). Inside, the bakery has a timeless old-fashioned feel: the hush of cream-panelled walls, white tiles and warm wood. ‘I love everything traditional, so having the food tie in with the space is important. I think it’s a real experience to come here.’ A polished glass-fronted cabinet displays the day’s treats: a gorgeous glossy array of golden pastries, buns and tarts. If you get there in time . . .  

In late summer, tempers erupted as the cabinet emptied. ‘It was absolutely mad,’ recalls Maher. Somebody said it was the worst disappointment of their life; they walked into the bakery and shouted at me. Thankfully we’ve not had any of that recently; it’s been a lot nicer.’ And the queue has become an integral part of the Lannan experience. People take (and post) photos in the line, through the big windows, inside the bakery, and of their pastry haul. It might sound like every new business owner’s dream but the constant surveillance is actually challenging. ‘It’s such a funny culture, which obviously I’m part of as well, but it’s odd,’ says Maher. She and the bakery have an engaged social media following, but ‘it wasn’t ever the plan for me to be quite as forward facing.’

And it’s not always benign. One recent early morning, after a thwarted attempt to enter the closed bakery, Maher recalls: ‘A guy was taking photos of me at every window, following me around the bakery and I just got so upset. It’s become such a huge thing to come in and take photos, but it’s sometimes a bit much.’  The desire to capture the perfect shot of morning light falling on golden pastries is understandable. Feeling entitled to follow a woman around her workplace with a camera without permission? Far less so. 

‘We’ve created this perfect storm, somewhat unintentionally, and it’s uncontrollable now. But I couldn’t be more grateful for everyone who’s been coming in. Lannan is exactly what I always dreamed of,’a she insists. ‘The vision and the design has never changed from when I was five. It’s exactly how I’ve always wanted it.’ And while she loves developing new recipes and rolling croissants, Maher ultimately craves a quiet life: ‘I just want to be able to come into a nice space and bake each day.’

Lannan Bakery, 29–35 Hamilton Place, Edinburgh, @lannanbakery on Instagram.