Last week, two bakeries saw an extraordinary turnout as hundreds of fans queued up to be served by comedian Romesh Ranganathan. The funnyman, who is a co-owner of the Coughlans bakery chain, rolled up his sleeves and got behind the counter at two of their shops on Wednesday, May 7.
At one branch in Oxted, Surrey, staff were amazed as the queue swelled to an estimated 400 people at its peak. Romesh, 47, didn’t stop there – he also spent time serving customers at the Coughlans in Beckenham, South East London.
Sean Coughlan, who co-owns the business with Romesh, shared that the comedian has plans to work shifts at all 31 branches in due course. Reflecting on the bustling day, Sean, 53, said: “It was mental. We couldn’t believe it. It was a lot of fun. We have done this before, and it got an amazing response. He is great. He just loves getting stuck in. He literally throws himself into everything. All the team and the customers thoroughly enjoy it.”
He added: “In Beckenham, for two hours straight, we had about 50-60 people constantly in the queue. And when we arrived in Oxted, there were 300-400 people eagerly waiting to see him. It was crazy. He is one of the nicest people you will ever meet. He is just so laid back and relaxed and happy to give his time to everybody. He chatted to every single person who came in.”
After being a loyal patron for years, Romesh took a stake in the family-run bakery last year, showing particular enthusiasm for their vegan offerings. Sean has found working with the star to be a delight, noting that Romesh contributes to the development of innovative new products.
The third-generation bakery owner enthused about the collaboration: “We have a lot of fun when we work together. It is wonderful just to have his input. He is very popular. He is very creative. He has given us a lot more confidence to try new things. Still so many people don’t realise that he is involved. About 25 times a day I get asked about it.”
In a recent announcement on social media regarding his venture into the family business, the celebrity revealed: “I am Romesh Coughlan. I have loved Coughlans for ages so to be part of the family I am very excited.”
This coming Friday (May 16), fans will be treated to a special “Romesh and friends” comedy evening at the Oxted shop, with Tom Davis making a guest appearance, all in aid of the Teenage Cancer Trust.
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