It was December 1977, and these early-morning shoppers were queuing for bread at Greggs in the Greenmarket, Newcastle.
Forty-five years ago, the famous bakery brand was well on its way to becoming a Tyneside institution. Today it's a nationwide phenomenon. In 2022 there were more than 2,200 Greggs stores around the UK, with 21 alone in Newcastle, while the city with the most outlets was Glasgow with 35.
Originally known as Greggs of Gosforth, the company was founded by John Gregg and baked its first stottie cakes on the eve of World War II in 1939. The first shop opened in 1951 in Gosforth and since then the company has gone from strength to strength. Starting from its Geordie base, Greggs has expanded nationally since the 1970s by adding other regional bakery chains to its roster.
