New Fatehas Bakery-Deli opens in Duckworth Street, Darwen

Fatehas Bakery and Deli opened on Saturday, June 10, and owner Waahida Alom said it has already proven to be popular with customers.

Waahida, who lives down the road in Bolton, said: “It has been a really busy first few days but we have had such a warm welcome from the people of Darwen.”

Food served at Fatehas Bakery- Deli in Darwen (Image: Fatehas Bakery- Deli)

The bakery and deli serves a variety of savoury and sweet food options.

Breakfast sandwiches, cookies, cakes and more are currently on the menu, as well as curries.

“My passion is baking,” said Waahida, “I asked the locals before we opened if they would like to see bakery or savoury food.

"The consensus was that people wanted to see a new style of food being sold as well as the cakes and desserts that I am doing.”

Biscoff cakes and ‘curry of the day’ are some of the most popular items currently on the menu.

25-year-old Waahida said her milk cakes are also flying off the shelves.

She said: “Our ‘curry of the day’ has been extremely popular.  Our curries are all homemade, using traditional Indian flavours with a South Asian twist.

“Customers have also been loving the cakes and our Lotus Biscoff slice has been flying out of the door.

“A lot of people say they have never tried milk cake before. This is my delicious sponge, that has been soaked overnight in three different types of milk which makes a tasty type of ‘sauce’."

Waahida has been selling cakes online for around 10 years and had always dreamed of opening her own bakery.

She said: “I have had this dream since being Ladybridge High School student in Bolton.

“I did a cooking class in Year 7 and this is where my love for baking started. The first thing I made was Battenburg.

“Ever since then I wanted a bakery and some way to get my food out to people.

“This is my first official shop but I have been selling some cakes online, on and off as a side job, for years.

“This opportunity came up, and I loved the location and the people were so friendly, so I decided I was just going to go for it.

“I have been working from my kitchen for years and it is so nice to now have this space.”

Waahida hopes customers can taste the love and effort she pours into her cooking and baking.

She said: “Everything is handmade. I really think when you put a lot of effort in and the baking is a real passion of yours that really comes through in the bakes.

"One customer said she could taste the love in the cake she was eating.

“I haven’t seen a shop in Darwen that serves both hot and cold food, as well as an assortment of cakes and bakes – where else can you grab a curry and a cake in the same place?”