Popular bakery forced to change name after legal threats from business 500 miles away
The café owner said the team had been left with “little choice” but to rebrand following the threats
An independent bakery which opened earlier this year is being forced to change its name after receiving legal threats from a business 530 miles from Edinburgh.
Gorse, a bakery and café described as a “love letter” to Northern Ireland, opened its doors in the Pleasance in April.
It has become a popular addition to Edinburgh's café scene, serving up freshly baked bread, pastries and pantry items inspired by Northern Irish produce.
But over the weekend, owner Natalie Rai took to social media to say the bakery is being force to rebrand after a business, understood to be in the south of England, threatened it with legal action over its name.
Posting on Instagram, she said: “Truth be told it’s been difficult to understand, particularly as other businesses in the same industry continue to coexist with the same name, but we’ve accepted that we simply don’t have the resources to fight it.
“As sure as we are that nobody has accidentally turned up at our Northern Irish bakery in Edinburgh instead of a sourdough bakery 530 miles away, we’ve concluded that our money is far better spent paying our talented bakers, front of house team and suppliers than watching it disappear into legal fees.
She continued: “Fundamentally, we’re just a wee business that cares deeply about bringing a little bit of Northern Ireland to Edinburgh through our baking, coffee and hospitality.
“Those who truly know us to our bones already understand that. So, our name will soon change. Our character and identity won’t.
“To me, it’s only strengthened my belief in what we’ve built, and just another chapter in our story that I’m excited to share with you.
Speaking previously to The Scotsman about choosing the name Gorse, Ms Rai, who grew up in Belfast, said: “In a way, Gorse is a love letter to both where I’m from and where I’ve found home.
“Common gorse grows in abundance in each place, especially in areas we love spending time - Arthur’s Seat and the North Coast back home in Northern Ireland.”
She later described Gorse as the “common thread” running between her two homes.
The café itself has views out to the gorse-covered crags and Arthur’s Seat, and the opening date coincided with when common gorse begins to bloom in Holyrood Park.
At the time, Ms Rai said: “It feels like perfect timing. Everything starts to shift a bit in spring - there’s a sense of momentum at this time of year, and it feels like the right moment to start something new.”
Gorse originally opened at 207 Pleasance on April 17, replacing a former criminal defence lawyers’ office which was transformed with a nostalgic “granny chic” interior. Ms Rai developed the concept to explore her identity following the loss of her grandmother.
The café was designed to merge speciality coffee with Northern Irish staples, offering items like wheaten bread, soda farls, and Tayto crisps alongside seasonal Scottish ingredients, creating a welcoming space for both locals and Edinburgh's Northern Irish community.