Islanders rise early for Senner’s traditional hot cross buns
THE queue outside Senner’s Bakery in St Martin’s signalled the start of Easter weekend yesterday morning as hundreds of hot cross bun enthusiasts gathered along the pavement on Route des Camps.
Senner’s owner Martin Senner said that the line had begun to form at about 7am, with the bakery even serving night shift workers earlier in the morning.
‘We started baking at 6pm yesterday and have been going since then, six of us in total – four bakers and two colleagues taking customers’ orders.
‘We weren’t officially open at 4am obviously, but we will still served those who were working and came calling at that time.’
He estimated that the bakery would have sold 7,000 hot cross buns by the end of the day.
‘We can fit 42 buns on a tray so you can do the maths from there. We keep going until the queue is no longer, usually that’s until about 1pm.’
Queuing for hot cross buns on Good Friday has become a family tradition for many of those waiting in line.
Elaine and Peter Smeja initially joined the queue at 7.30am and had bought 20 hot cross buns, as well as some bread, doughnuts and pasties, to share with Mrs Smeja’s parents and siblings.
‘Usually my Dad queues up but unfortunately he’s got a bad leg this year so it’s down to us to get the goods,’ she said.
Unfortunately for the couple, their lack of experience on Hot Cross Bun Day meant that they had to join the line not once, but twice.
‘Senner’s don’t take cards, so we had to go round the houses to find a cashpoint and come back,’ Mrs Smeja said.
‘It’s worth the wait though.’
Theo de Sausmarez, 9, had been tasked with collecting Easter goods for his family, who live just across the road from the bakery.
‘I’ve got a dozen and a half hot cross buns, I’ve done it before and I love Senner’s,’ he said.
‘I’m looking forward to having some jam on my buns.’
Danielle Hann had queued up with daughter Naomi, 8, and said that they had come to Senner’s every Good Friday since moving to St Martin’s six years ago.
‘We’ve got 24 buns to share between us and my Mum and Dad. Usually I’d toast mine but they’re so fresh I think I’ll just eat them as they are,’ she added.
Naomi said that she would enjoy her buns with some Guernsey butter.
‘It’s my favourite thing to have with them.’
