How I’d Rewrite Gail’s Homepage
But when you visit their website, that warmth doesn’t quite translate. It’s good clean, elegant, functional but it doesn’t make you feel the same way their bakeries do and doesn’t showcase everything they are known and loved for.
Gail’s bakery is known for being what people describe as the “middle-classed” version of Costa and Starbucks, but with such a title comes great responsibility. People don’t mind paying the extra when they take a trip to Gail’s because the quality soon surpasses the other high street cafes which are often stocked with pastries which have been reheated from frozen, cakes which are flooded with additives to enable them to be displayed as long as possible. Whilst Gail’s has a focus on quality with freshly made loafs of bread, sandwiches, cakes, and even quiches.
As someone obsessed with the power of language and design, I couldn’t resist asking:
What if Gail’s homepage spoke with the same warmth as its ovens?
Here’s some ways how I’d rewrite it:
What Works Now
Let’s give credit where it’s due. Gails’s current homepage is beautifully minimalist. The typography feels premium yet approachable, the photography celebrates the craft, and the colour palette screams, “freshly baked”.
You can tell a professional designed and cared about this site.
But visually beautiful doesn’t always mean emotionally resonant. The design says artisan bakery, but the words “freshly baked every day” feel far too generic and as though it could be associated with any local café. But it’s important for brands like Gail’s to showcase their individuality, you should be able to identify it as Gail’s website just by the words without the branding.
What’s I Think it’s Missing
A homepage should immediately do 3 things:
- Tell me who you are
- Make me feel something
- Invite me to do something next
Right now, Gail’s homepage nails the first point visually, but the copy doesn’t yet quite deliver the emotion or clarity of purpose that make Gail’s so special.
There’s no story. No human voice. No flour on the hands of the brand.
My Rewrite
If I were to rewrite Gail’s homepage, here’s how I’d bring its brand vison to life through a mix of tone, rhythm, and sensory storytelling.
Header Section
Current:
“A modern craft bakery”.
Rewritten:
Where baking meets belonging.
Body Text
Current:
“We make food inspired by nature’s abundance. By letting the seasons guide our recipes, our menu is sustainable and tastes as good as nature intended. This autumn, our menu draws on the generosity of the land, celebrating apples, grains, squashes and warm spices. We welcome you inside to pause, unwind and connect with the quiet magic of this transitional time of year”.
Rewritten:
Our food is shaped by the seasons inspired by nature’s generosity and made with what’s fresh and close to home. This autumn, we’re baking with apples, grains, squashes, and warm spices that capture the comfort of the season. Step inside, slow down, and taste the quiet magic of what autumn has to offer.
About / Brand Story Section
Current:
“We believe in good food and good people.”
Rewritten:
For nearly twenty years, we’ve baked the old-fashioned way by hand, in small batches, with butter and patience you can taste in every bite.
Every loaf, every pastry, every smile behind the counter is made with care. Because for us, good food isn’t just a slogan it’s a daily practice.
(Tone: human, handcrafted, honest and the same values that define Gail’s.)
Subheadings
Current:
“In Season – Our menu takes its lead from nature, with our recipes changing according to what’s in season”.
Rewritten:
As the Season Turns – Our menu evolves with nature — a reflection of what’s growing, ripening, and ready to share.
Current:
“Sourcing with purpose – We work with a community of trusted craft suppliers and source 80% of our ingredients from the UK”.
Rewritten:
Close to Home – Around 80% of our ingredients come from the UK from farmers, millers, and makers we know by name.
Current:
“Good earth, good bread – Our wheat project supports farmers dedicated to healthy soil and working in harmony with nature”.
Rewritten:
From the Soil Up – Our Wheat Project brings together farmers who care for the land nurturing healthy soil, so every loaf begins in harmony with nature.
Mission Statement
Current:
“We welcome you inside – Our bakery concepts celebrate the role of craft baking as a vital part of the community, drawing inspiration from local colours, materials, and cultural heritage. Our commitment to sustainability reaches far beyond the kitchen – from the soil where our wheat is grown to the chairs where guests enjoy their morning coffee, we prioritise materials and furnishings that reduce waste and honour the unique character of each location —creating environments that not only reflect their surroundings, but actively engage with them”.
Rewritten:
A Space to Belong: Each of our bakeries is shaped by its surroundings inspired by local colours, textures, and stories. We see baking as an art rooted in community, and that spirit guides everything that we design. From the soil that grows our wheat to the tables and chairs that welcome our customers, we choose materials that honour their origins and minimise waste. Each café reflects its neighbourhood a place made for the people, not just the pastries.
Why These Changes Matter
This rewrite isn’t about adding fluff, it’s about making the website unique to the brand and it’s values.
When a brand like Gail’s focuses so much on craft, that care should be present in the words as well. A homepage shouldn’t just describe bread; it should make you smell it.
Good copy doesn’t compete with design, it completes it.
Final Thoughts
Gail’s already has what so many brands dream of: heart, heritage, and humanity. The website just needs to let that voice shine through.
So, this isn’t a teardown, it’s a love letter, written in butter and flour.
If you’ve got a homepage that feels flat, maybe it just needs the same thing:
a story, a smile, and a sprinkle of soul.