Long before Greggs came on the scene, Edinburgh was dominated by numerous homegrown bakeries that catered for all our freshly-baked needs for generations.
Among those making the most dough was Martin's the Bakers, which had dozens of shops around the city, a handful of tearooms, and a fleet of vans that delivered door-to-door to outlying estates.
For much of the 20th century, the legendary capital-based company, which had a huge bakery at Grove Street, competed with other top local firms, such as Crawford's, Young Brothers, Lyons, and Todd's, as Edinburgh's bakers of choice.
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In later years, Martin's became a part of the Allied Bakeries group. The Edinburgh institution gradually vanished in the 1980s and 1990s, with many of Martin's former shops and restaurants becoming Greggs outlets.
We asked Edinburgh locals on the Lost Edinburgh Facebook group to share their memories of Martin's and lots of former customers and employees got in touch.
John Craig Gibson said: "I lived just a few yards from the Martin's bakery in Grove Street. As kids we sometimes got the odd cake given to us. This was in the 1950s and food was still a bit scarce as rationing was still on and cakes were a treat. The smell coming from the bakery was amazing."
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Robert Laird said: "The one on Calder Road close to The Silver Wing, was the one folk from Broomie frequented. At the far end of the shop was a Post Office Counter. The big treat for me as a bairn was once a week we got 'tea bread' from Martins."
Former Martin's employee Jean Sinclair recalled serving a very famous face: "I worked in the Tollcross shop and wee Ronnie Corbet when he was in panto in the King's came in every day for a buttered roll and a Bridie."
Nicola Traynor says Martin's hot products were a must during winter: "I grew up across the road from the one at Colinton Mains. I remember at least one cold miserable day huddled round the two bar electric fire and my Mum ‘nipping across’ to Martin’s for pancakes."
James Macdonald wrote: "My Father worked from the Depot in Grove Street in the 60s. He was a Van Driver, and delivered to the various Martin's shops."
Carole Binbrek said: "I was a Saturday girl in 1950-51 at the one at Newington. We had to memorise all the prices and add them up in our heads as the customers ordered them. Needed to be good at mental arithmetic. Still do it in shops today checking mentally against the cashier's result."
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