Primrose Bakery in Primrose Hill celebrates 20th anniversary

Martha Swift opened Primrose Bakery, in Gloucester Avenue, in November 2004, selling bespoke cup cakes and celebration cakes for all occasions.

In the years since she has written a recipe book and hosted workshops on how to ice and decorate the cupcakes and make her signature buttercream.

This month, to mark her shop's second decade, she has been selling limited edition T-shirts with the words "20 sweet years".

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She said: "I feel every day of those 20 years but it's quite satisfying I'm still here hanging on and doing T-shirts and cakes in these times. It's an achievement."

Martha Swift, owner of Primrose Bakery, is celebrating her store's 20th anniversary in Primrose Hill (Image: Nathalie Raffray)

All Primrose Bakery's cakes are made onsite and include Barbie cakes, Aperol Spritz cakes, gluten free or vegan cakes and tiered wedding offerings.

She added: "I hope my cakes speak for themselves. I know I'm not a chain, we make everything fresh. "

Martha and others in Gloucester Avenue have warned of the threat to independent businesses, with a Gail's Bakery due to open across the road in the near future.

Primrose Bakery in Primrose Hill is selling limited-edition T-shirts to mark the its 20th anniversary (Image: Nathalie Raffray)

Martha said the cost of ingredients has gone "through the roof", as have energy prices, and businesses like hers are "not getting much support and backing".

She says she can understand why landlords are attracted by the security of money from big chains rather than small businesses.

But the mother-of-two and grandmother says she fears young people will no longer be able to open independent outlets like hers.

She added: "I don't know if it's possible so much now. It's really sad as it makes places unique. Don't we all want to go to places that are unique, and different and quirky? If we just have a high street with Gail's, Starbucks and Joe and the Juice, it's quite boring.

"I don't want to sound bitter, I love what I do and I'd like to encourage anyone to go out and be different.

"I want to stay different and make fresh every day and keep being independent and keep being individual."

A spokesperson for Gail's said: "We understand the concern around chains, but our view is that a healthy high street is one with a diversity of quality offers, each delivering their best."