Rural town bakery reopens after nearly 30 years without one

Ciutadilla, a small village of around 200 residents in the western province of Lleida, has a bakery again after nearly three decades without one. 

Bakers Adrià Tomàs and Lydia Karikari are running the 'Pont de Sucre' workshop, housed in the former 'Cal Valls' flour mill, a municipally-owned space that was recently restored.

The town welcomed the new bakery earlier this March. 

It is the first such workshop to open locally in 30 years. The two bakers relocated from the city of Lleida, where they operated a business under the same name until February.

The pair said customer response in their first week has far exceeded expectations, highlighting strong demand for high-quality, artisanal products.

Pont de Sucre has brought breadmaking back to Ciutadilla after decades. While bread continued to be sold in the village, it had not been baked locally since the last bakery closed nearly 30 years ago. 

Until eight years ago, a baker from nearby Guimerà delivered bread to residents, and more recently, it was available at a grocery store that has since closed after its owner retired.

The project originated with the Ciutadilla City Council aimed to restore a "basic service" such as bread sales, according to mayor Sandra Garrido. The council rehabilitated the old 'Cal Valls' mill and launched a public tender to operate the bakery. From the six proposals, 'Pont de Sucre' won.

The bakers said they were drawn by the opportunity to provide a quality product in a community lacking such services. "We love the craft, and what better place than a village to dedicate ourselves to artisanal baking?" Karikari said, adding that they feel at home in Ciutadilla.

The bakery opened on March 14 and quickly drew large crowds. "On the first two days, traffic was backed up. People were parking across the river and walking over," Tomàs said. "There was such a long line that more people were watching it, deciding whether to join, than were actually in it. It was a total surprise."

Tomàs said the reception confirms that people value access to quality products in rural areas. 

Their approach, he added, is fully artisanal "from start to finish," with an emphasis on craftsmanship and care in every item.

Historic mill gains new life

The bakery operates out of the old 'Cal Valls' flour mill, the only one of seven historic mills still standing on the Corb river. 

The facility remained active until 1962 and had previously undergone an initial restoration phase. In recent years, it has hosted the town's annual Onion Fair.

The latest project, funded with €147,000 from the Lleida Provincial Council's Demographic Challenge Service and supported by the Bakers' Association of the Lleida province, gives the building a new role as both a working bakery and part of the local heritage route.