These are the most middle class areas in the UK, based on the number of Gail’s bakeries

Surprise – Exeter isn’t even on this list!

2 months ago

Gail’s is middle class and so is probably best known for being the official feeding ground of trendy London yuppies in all “upcoming” gentrified areas, along with well-off middle aged people who actually read books, and the few confused tourists under the impression that they’ve stumbled upon a nice, independent local cafe.

And for many of us students, Gail’s feels like the peak of luxury – an occasional upgrade from your standard Pret trips, with fewer screaming babies and newer toilets.

While the London-centric Gail’s leaves many areas on the UK map completely baron – including the entire north of England past Manchester – other places in the UK have gained their official stamp of middle class-hood by having one or two Gail’s bakeries lurking on the high street.

Here’s a list of the most middle class areas in the UK, marked by the one and only, Gail’s.

9. Bristol

via Gail’s

Rahhh, where are all the Gail’s in Bristol?

Surprisingly, this trendy port city known best for having an abundance of middle class university students who dying to tell you about their gap year is home to only one Gail’s Bakery.

However, there’s no doubt in my mind that the vegan bakery selection goes down a treat over there.

8. Stratford-upon-Avon

via Gail’s

Birmingham is the UK’s second largest city and home to over 2.5 million people. You may think that a few of them would fancy popping into a Gail’s for a coffee and a sausage roll. Gail’s says otherwise.

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Instead, we welcome you 35 miles south of the urban, heavily-populated Birmingham down to the quaint Stratford-upon-Avon.A small, medieval market-town, known best as birthplace of William Shakespeare and for its scenic canals and medieval architecture.

It is also home to the only Gail’s in the West Midlands.

7. Petersfield

via Gail’s

In a county which includes affluent towns such as Winchester (where Rishi Sunak grew up), Petersfield is a town which I’m sure few reading this have ever even heard of, yet reigns as the only place in Hampshire posh enough to have its own Gail’s.

Other notable tourist spots on the Petersfield high street include: Waitrose, M&S, and overpriced knitwear shops

6. Oxford

via Gail’s

In sixth place – an admittedly measly spot on this list all things considered – is Oxford.

While Gail’s is certainly is a marker of a certified middle class area, Oxford seemingly missed the memo.

Being home to only two of the iconic cafes, the number of Gail’s bakeries in Oxford clearly does not reflect the city’s true middle-classed colours.

5. Cambridge

via Gail’s

While Cambridge does beat it’s sworn rival, Oxford, in the competition for the most middle class as per Gail’s standard, this is not by a large scale as Cambridge also falls short of enough Gail’s bakeries to reflect the city’s true middle classed-ness.

It seems there is a discrepancy when it comes to Gail’s and Oxbridge, earning Cambridge a place of the fifth most middle class area in the UK.

4. Manchester

via Gail’s

The furthest point north that a Gail’s touches is good old Manchester. Past this point, it is seemly no-man’s land in the eyes of the bakery chain.

But props to Greater Manchester for managing to have a whopping total of five cafes, 211 miles away from the centre of Gail’s patisserie universe – London.

Five Gail’s in one city is an automatic stamp of middle class-hood, no ifs, no buts.

3. Brighton and Hove/West Sussex

via Gail’s

Three Gail’s currently reside in liberal capital of the UK, Brighton and Hove which account for three of the six bakeries in West Sussex, with two more located in Horsham, Worthing and Lewes.

This makes West Sussex the third most middle class county in the United Kingdom, when assessed using our specialised Gail-metrics.

2. Surrey

via Gail’s

We were all expecting it. But nonetheless, the affluent countryside county of Surrey takes the cake as the second most middle class county in the United Kingdom.

While Brummies have to drive an hour for a Gail’s sausage roll, in this rural county, many of the small, cobbled towns (many of which I’d genuinely never heard of) such as Godalming, Weybridge, Esher, Cobham, and others all have a Gail’s of their own.

Each stand as an official badge of Surrey’s prevailing middle classed-ness.

1. London

via Gail’s

And as we all know to be true, London stands proud as holding highest concentration of Gail’s locations in the United Kingdom by massive a landslide.

However, honourable mentions go to Hampstead Heath, Marylebone, Kensington and Chelsea, Bloomsbury, and Notting Hill for having the most Gail’s in London. Unsurprising really.