By Celine: The Lawn Bakery

"Another local shop's closing down!" I wailed, having walked past the Wimbledon Village bakery on my way home.

I'm a huge believer in supporting local independent businesses, so the thought of the bakery that has operated on the same site for over 100 years succumbing to the recession and, no doubt, being replaced by some average chain was rather distressing.

I was promptly told that I needed glasses and that the sign on the door actually said that it was being renovated rather than closing down. Phew!

Relief soon turned into excitement when, a couple of weeks later, I saw the sign on the sunny, stripy awning: The Lawn Bakery.

If you've ever visited The Lawn Bistro, chef Ollie Couillard's exceptional restaurant at the other end of the high street, you'll understand why I was quite so delighted by this discovery.

Pressing my nose against the glass the day before the official opening, I felt (and probably looked) like a child outside a sweetshop on pocket money morning. Here's what I saw:

After waiting patiently for a full 24 hours, when I finally stepped inside I was greeted by the tantalising smell of freshly baked bread and a multitude of sweet and savoury treats to tempt even the most die hard of dieters.

The bakery seems to work to the same philosophy as the restaurant; using quality, seasonal ingredients to create freshly made classics that deliver highly on flavour.

You can grab a pastry on the go, or settle down at one of the tables to feast on any of the goodies on show or brunch classics like scrambled eggs with smoked salmon. Also on offer are charcuterie boards, my favourite being the chorizo with quince jelly.

If you're in the mood for elevenses, I highly recommend Ollie's fresh out the oven sausage rolls - the perfect meat-to-pastry ratio - get 'em early though, as they don't stick around for long!