back to article Middle England chokes on Nice Baps

A Bedfordshire baker has provoked the wrath of Middle England by dubbing his breadery "Nice Baps". Angry locals in Henlow wasted no time in objecting to the name after John O'Toole cut the ribbon on his establishment last Wednesday. The 42-year-old said his missus thought up the comedy moniker, and his other bakery of the same …

COMMENTS

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  1. Dave Fox
    Joke

    Future plans?

    I do hope this is resolved amicably, because I fear it may affect my plans to open my "Big Jugs" jug emporium in the same town!

    1. Naughtyhorse

      could i sub-let a back room...

      for the Rear Entry Massage Parlour

  2. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    well that's solved my problem of

    where to open my new bathroom shop.

    To Henlow with "Soapy Tit Wank"

    Sorted

  3. Tiny Iota
    Joke

    He should have called it...

    ...the Bap Store, but then Apple might sue him

    1. Steve X
      Happy

      Whatever you want in your sandwich

      There's a Bap for that

  4. Anonymous Coward
    Happy

    How about....

    - Big Buns

    - Big Cream Horn

    - Tasty Tarts

    It's not my fault you have a dirty mind!

  5. Monkey Bob
    Pint

    Which poor sod...

    ...has the job of trawling the Daily Fail for anything print-worthy, & do you at least let them get good & pissed first?

  6. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Alternative name

    Flour-y Bloomers

    I know someone called Baps and she couldn't open a facebook account with that name, it's apparently on some unacceptacle word list.

  7. Ste Mansfield
    Joke

    Hardware store

    He could always open a harware store called John's Massive Tools

    1. Loyal Commenter Silver badge
      Coat

      Or maybe...

      ...Sell circular enclosures for poultry in a shop called 'cock rings'?

    2. h 6
      Happy

      a local hardware store

      Mann Tool.

      For real: http://www.manntools.com/

    3. LaeMing
      Go

      Massive Tool

      There was a large LED billboard on the highway on my way home from work for several weeks recenely declairing:

      MASSIVE

      TOOL

      sale (that last word in a markedly smaller font)

  8. Neil Barnes Silver badge
    Badgers

    Is it just me?

    Or are the local idiots complaining because the baker is using the traditional name for his product, which has been taken as slang for breasts? Aren't they saying something along the lines of 'I only know the slang 'rude connotation' word, therefore any use of it is 'wrong' (will nobody think of the children?)?

    Bap: a soft breadcake, suitable for making a bacon butty with.

    Baps: more than one of the above.

    Nice Baps: well you wouldn't want nasty ones, would you? They wouldn't sell, even *with* bacon in them...

    FFS people, grow up! Or if it's too late for that, buy a dictionary...

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Happy

      Anglo Saxon words are so unfashionable..

      Something to do with us once having a French king at some time or another.

      I say bollox to them,

    2. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      @Neil

      Sorry:

      Bacon butty = made using bread.

      Bacon bap = made with soft bread roll.

      1. jake Silver badge

        @AC15:48

        To paraphrase t'Bard: A bacon sarnie, by any other name ...

  9. Graham Bartlett

    Alternatives

    "Good Firm Buns"

    Or perhaps "Well Toasted Buns" for the fetish crowd.

    Or of course "Toole Sandwich".

  10. Anonymous Coward
    FAIL

    Egad

    It's political correctness (sorry, social acceptability) gone mad.

  11. Adrian Challinor
    WTF?

    oh for heavens sake

    If these people have nothing better to do I suggest that they read the OED

    Pronunciation:/bap/

    noun

    British

    1 a large, round, flattish bread roll , typically with a spongy texture and floury top.

    2 (baps) informal a woman's breasts.

    I the context of a baker, I think the meaning is obvious.

  12. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    FFS!

    Of all the things they could get uptight about they choose this?

    The fact is that it's a shop that sells baps and they claim that they are nice. Anybody objecting to the name would surely have to have a dirty mind in the first place?

    1. Sarah Bee (Written by Reg staff)

      Re: FFS!

      I think the dude knew what he was doing, somehow. And fair enough.

  13. oldredlion
    Badgers

    hmmm

    A story about Nice Baps in Beds with O'Toole?

  14. Toastan Buttar
    Happy

    Asda

    I did a double-take at Asda's "Big Eat Granary Baps". It looked far too close to "Big Fat Granny Baps".

  15. Anonymous Coward
    Go

    I dont get it.

    Sounds like a perfectly reasonable name for a bakery to me.

    1. Sarah Bee (Written by Reg staff)

      Re: I dont get it.

      Yeah, there's one near me called The Crusty Loaf Fellatio Buggery. No one seems to give it a second glance, but that's London for you.

      1. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        well...

        You say that Sarah, but there is a late night takeaway near me called Burger-y, does that count?

      2. Loyal Commenter Silver badge
        Headmaster

        @Sarah

        If fellatio and buggery were bread products, that might not have been a nonsequitur.

        1. Sarah Bee (Written by Reg staff)

          Re: @Sarah

          It was a nonsequitur for comic effect.

          Sigh.

          1. Anonymous Coward
            Anonymous Coward

            Is that

            One of those annual charity dos on TV? Red noses, or something?

      3. Dangermouse
        Happy

        The Crusty Loaf Fellatio Buggery

        Is that the one on Cumming Street near Kings Cross?

      4. Captain TickTock
        Joke

        Crumbs...

        ... that's a bit of a mouthful, isn't it?

    2. Charlie Clark Silver badge

      Watch out for the IMB!

      Yes, the International Muffin* Brigade will probably have his name on a list!

      * the oven-bottom muffin is the term of choice for this doughy delicacy in some parts of the world and people are surprisingly sensitive to the correct us.

    3. Sinical

      It could be worse

      My local Chinese Take Away is called the Rea Ming.

      And no, I am not joking.

  16. Pete 2 Silver badge

    The pet shop next door ...

    Wouldn't happen to be called "Great Puppies" would it?

  17. The Fuzzy Wotnot
    Happy

    For heaven's sake!

    Stuff world hunger, poverty, revolutions in the Middle East, nothing raises the blood pressure of a NIMBY MIddle Englander than a little bit of smutty innuendo!

    I reckon there's something more to this story than is being presented.

  18. Captain Underpants
    Badgers

    Nicely played, Mr O'Toole...

    ...frankly it's just a shame his name's not Timmy, for the full-on comedy double-whammy.

    I wonder whether the people objecting to the name realise that they've essentially given the business free marketing by complaining to the council? Probably not the effect they were hoping for, unless the whole thing's a stunt...

    1. ElNumbre
      Paris Hilton

      TITLE MUST CONTAIN OBLIGATORY CUNNING STUNT JOKE.

      Paris because, well, her cunning stunt was filmed for the world to watch.

  19. S Larti
    WTF?

    The Wrath of Middle England!!!

    Which consists of one stiff* letter to the council...

    * careful now!

    1. Naughtyhorse

      down with this sort of t'ing

      thats all....

      NUNS!

  20. Alex 0.1
    WTF?

    Uptight or what

    There's a burger van every day in a layby on a major road near here called "Angie's Big Baps" that's been running for years, so presumably not many people have objected to that. Maybe people round here can just take a joke.

    1. It'sa Mea... Mario

      We had a 'Big Baps' sandwich shop in Bournemoth..

      ..only closed because f*sking Subway was allowed to open next door!

  21. Velv
    Coat

    Business ventures

    At least he didn't go into the Ironmongery business.

    O'Toole's Knobs & Knockers

    1. Cerbus
      Pint

      Title must contain at least one amusingly named shop

      There's a hardware store in Dublin called Knobs and Knockers, about five minutes walk from a cafe with the wonderful name of The Queen of Tarts

  22. Tony Green
    Thumb Down

    Typical Daily Hate bullshit

    I bet nobody had even twigged until a reptile from that vile rag started asking if they found it offensive.

    I dread to think what they'd have made of a bakery in Rochdale where I once saw a sign in the window saying "Say it with bread. Give her a muffin".

  23. MarkA

    Perfect Name

    To appeal to the (still) significant Air Force crowd, serving and retired, that are in that village and the surrounding area.

  24. Paul 37
    Thumb Up

    Okkaay...

    A Google search for bakeries in Henlow sadly didn't show Nice Baps.

    http://www.google.co.uk/search?sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8&q=henlow+bakery#q=henlow+bakery&hl=en&prmd=ivnscm&source=univ&tbs=plcs:1&tbo=u&ei=bm6UTdCbE4eXhQfwmeDnCA&sa=X&oi=local_group&ct=more-results&resnum=1&ved=0CEoQtQMwAA&fp=5cbc1c678812025a

    However the first two are called Gunns and (wait for it)

    Rogers

  25. Uncle Slacky Silver badge
    Happy

    Burger Me!

    That is all.

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Paris Hilton

      Ok

      Here in the states, nobody seems to object to a burger chain calling themselves "In-n-out Burger", even despite most people's penchant for modifying the bumper stickers they give out to read "In-n-out Urge".

      Paris 'cause whenever I see her I get an urge for a... burger?

      1. Fr Barry
        Paris Hilton

        A liverpool pub...

        called the cockwell In(n) http://tinyurl.com/3nhqrj9

  26. Blake St. Claire

    John O'Toole?

    Is his wife's name Plenty?

    Thank you Ian Fleming and Albert Broccoli.

    I agree with the queen, he knew exactly what he was doing.

  27. Anonymous Coward
    Go

    RE: All the complaints about PC / Middle England

    From the article:

    "[the chairman of the parish council] did though, conclude: "To date we have received one letter from a local resident expressing some concern over the name of the shop, plus a couple of verbal comments about the colour scheme. The letter will, as per normal procedure, be considered at the next full council meeting, which in this case is due to be held on April 11.""

    So one person complained about the name. Hardly a story and hardly a damning indictment on the state of political correctness in Middle England is it?

    FFS it is just an excuse for El Reg to run a story with innuendo about tits - not really a big deal after all if you just take a minute to calm down and think about it.

    1. Dr Insanity

      innuendo and tits

      and why not? it's almost Friday afterall!

    2. Jimbo 6

      just an excuse to run a story with innuendo

      Hell yeah, you don't think us Reg readers have anything more important to think about on a weekday afternoon do you ?

      My tuppence (bit) worth : when I open a food emporium, I'm going to call it...

      "Snack My Bitch Up"

  28. stratofish

    Unnecessary title

    Maybe a fruit shop should also be next? - "Juicy Plums"

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Another unnecessary title

      Or a resturant?

      "Meat and Two Veg"

  29. Plonkybear

    Don't they have any.....

    .....crumpet in Bedfordshire?

  30. dvd

    Title

    Am I the only one that remembers branches of 'Knobs and Knockers' all over the country that sold brass door furniture?

    1. Gulfie
      Coffee/keyboard

      Or John Noakes on Blue Peter...

      ... many years ago actually uttered the phrase "what a lovely pair of knockers" (he was standing between a pair of door knockers at the time).

      1. Blake St. Claire

        Young Frankenstein?

        Okay, but was it used on Blue Peter before or after Gene Wilder said it (in 1974)?

      2. Toastan Buttar

        Simon Groom

        I believe.

  31. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Dirty minds are the problem

    There's nothing inherently rude about 'nice baps', especially when it's referring to actual baps.

    It strikes me that it is those who find the name rude who have the dirty minds, allowing a euphemism to take precedence over the literal meaning of a word. Presumably these same people also baulk and complain at the sight of "Daddies Sauce", "Faggots" and "Eat Me"?

    These people clearly need to rush to their local priest, say their confession, do a hundred laps of a rosary with all the gusto of The Stig and purify their dirty minds.

    Mind you, I suspect these people are also first in the queue at a Fascinating Aida concert, and think it's the most wonderful and entertaining thing ever.

    PS. 'Baps' evidently isn't in my spell checker.

  32. Havin_it

    He'd be OK in Edinburgh

    ...where nobody in the Old Town raised an eyebrow when a chap renamed his gift shop to The Mutt's Nuts. And that's a UNESCO World Heritage Site, don'tcha know.

  33. G4Z

    Baps!

    Here in Newcastle there is already a sandwich shop called Baps, its just around the corner from my office.

    Nobody has complained about the name to my knowledge tho.

  34. Anonymous South African Coward Bronze badge
    Coat

    BAPSfontein

    Here in South Africa (Gauteng) we have a small town called Bapsfontein (Baps fountain).

    Reading through this gave me an alternative meaning for this little town.

    Muhuhahahaha.

    Leaving to tell the people what a Bap is.

  35. 2FishInATank
    Coat

    el tit

    Sounds like a storm in a d-cup to me...

  36. Captain Scarlet Silver badge

    Store picture

    From other posts the sign is small and clearly states around it bread related items to the left and right.

    Maybe there should be a warning on every street, WARNING THIS STREET MAY CAUSE OFFENCE because the stores have names on them

  37. copsewood
    WTF?

    Facebook denies Middle England is a place

    It's where I live, but Facebook won't let me claim Middle England as my place of residence.

    1. Uncle Slacky Silver badge

      It's more...

      ...a state of mind than a place, though.

  38. jake Silver badge

    ::sighs::

    And this from the country which brought us "naughty" holiday postcards.

    How the mighty have fallen.

  39. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Locks, chains and "hardware" supplied by ...

    S & M Supplies

    http://maps.google.co.uk/maps/place?oe=utf-8&rls=org.mozilla:en-GB:official&client=firefox-a&um=1&ie=UTF-8&q=S+%26+M+Supplies+Macclesfield&fb=1&gl=uk&hq=S+%26+M+Supplies&hnear=Macclesfield&cid=18366048681054990274

    And I have never even heard so much as a snigger when its name is mentioned

    1. Allan George Dyer
      Pint

      or try...

      Kin Kee Metal Company

      http://maps.google.com.hk/?ie=UTF8&ll=22.248319,114.155277&spn=0.004379,0.007371&t=h&z=17&brcurrent=3,0x34040003b48c0709:0x1e74bd65142c7ab6,1,0x3403fff26e29e2b1:0xc0eea9afd6463013&layer=c&cbll=22.248228,114.155288&panoid=xdd_SOYsb-zPBAuWxKHwJg&cbp=12,304.59,,2,1.67

  40. Tom 260

    Nice

    I would have thought there'd be more contention over whether 'Nice' can be applied without having the small print of "according to 83% of people in an independent blind taste test of more than 1,000 participants" or some such rubbish!

    On a similar note to that, what about Asda's "Chosen By You" range, I didn't choose any of it, and what I've had from it has invariably been poor quality, such as a dessert with far too runny and over-sweetened caramel.

    1. Roger Jenkins

      Caramel

      I fail to see how caramel can be over sweetened when it's made from sugar and water and has been ever so slightly burned. Or maybe you mean the over sweetened artificially flavoured and coloured stuff that passes for caramel.

      1. jake Silver badge

        @Roger Jenkins

        Caramel is not burned. It's caramelized. Thus the name. If you burn it, it's trash. The act of caramelization reduces sweetness ... It's a isomerization and polymerization thingie.

  41. Ol'Peculier

    Humpf

    I assume none of these residents listen to I'm Sorry I Haven't a Clue?

  42. Max_Normal

    Canine Beauticians

    There's a Canine Beautician in Kemptown, Brighton called "Doggy Style".

  43. Anonymous Coward
    Coat

    Does the Henlow branch of M & S.....

    .... have problems as well; M & S sell a product labelled as "Large White Baps" which are, amazingly enough, large white baps. And if they don't have a problem with it, why should the good people of Henlow?

    Mind you, I do snigger every time I buy a pack .....

  44. Spot the Cat
    Pint

    Baldock

    If I recall, neighbouring Baldock was for many years home to the Ridgid Tool Company. A quick Google reveals they've moved to London and major in threading and roll grooving. They can also supply you a Scout locator. The choir boy locator is coming soon.

  45. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    For some reason this reminds me of the assuming song

    http://www.andrewcurrey.co.uk/forwards/assume.asp

    Do you have a dirty mind?

  46. Gordon861

    Dinaways

    There used to be a burger place in Heston, London called Dinaways that was very popular with the late night after pub crowds. The had a couple of car stickers with the slogans "I've gobbled a big one" and "The meat makes you come", which considering that they sold large flame grilled burgers which were the best for miles was perfectly reasonable.

    All it took was one person to make a complaint to Hounslow Council and they had to stop using them.

    1. jake Silver badge

      Re: Gordon861

      There used to be (still is? I don't know ... it was thirty years ago or thereabouts) a gambling & drinking establishment in Auburn, California. I can't remember their name, but I do remember their bumpersticker:

      <bar logo & name> "Liquor in the front, poker in the rear"

      The logo was a silhouette of a prospector panning in a creek.

  47. Tim

    Nothing as English as seaside postcard innuendo

    He should open up a tea room called 'The Buttered Muffin.' And a higher-class version up the posh end of town, 'Tasty Crumpet.'

  48. Valerion

    A TITle is required

    The Register: Bring you the latest in IT and TIT news.

  49. Anonymous Coward
    Thumb Up

    TWAT Cafe

    There's a cafe if Cardiff called The Warm As Toast cafe.

    The first letters of the first 4 words are much bigger then the rest so from a distance it reads TWAT Cafe.

    It's been there for years so obviously people see the funny side and haven't got their heads up their arses like this lot from Bedford.

  50. Stratman

    title

    Down with this sort of thing.

  51. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Paving Business

    There's a paving business near us that advertises on it's vans

    "The best way to get laid!"

  52. Mooseman Silver badge

    If we're going for innuendo...

    ..how about King Dick Tools in Birmingham? Never heard complaints about that either.

  53. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    He needs to diversify his business activities

    A shoe repair shop, Cobblers to You.

  54. Repo
    Paris Hilton

    No different from...

    The Cock Inn (not a new trendy name for pubs either but a traditional one)

    Fat Willy's Surf Shack

    or indeed, Big Dicks Halfway Inn.

    Paris because... well you know why!

  55. Meph
    Thumb Up

    There's a...

    There's a nice little burger joint in Queenstown NZ called Fergburger. The food there is mighty tasty!

  56. David 45

    Smut?

    We here in Maidstone do actually have a small independent TV aerial installer who proudly proclaims on the side of his van that he has the best erections, although, judging by his age, I would have thought that most unlikely..

  57. alyn

    Chocolate starfish

    So my idea for chocolate treats would be banned too?

  58. Steve Babb
    Thumb Up

    Franchise?

    I look forward to the opening of the Manx franchise, Man Baps

  59. Badbob

    Not quite innuendo...

    But there is a butchers near where I work in Lanark called "Damn Delicious" and I actually heard one of my colleagues (a devout christian) complaining that it was blasphemous.

    When pressed for an explanation, he said it was because the use of the word "damn" in any connotation refers to using his particular deity's name in vain. I'll remind him of that next time he gives himself an electric shock (which is an alarmingly regular occurence).

    I now do all my sausage shopping there! (ooh matron!)

    1. Michael Dunn
      FAIL

      Taking his deity's name in vain!

      Oh, is he a Satanist, then?

  60. Anonymous Coward
    Headmaster

    Dawlish's oldest family run businesses

    There is a cake shop in Dawlish, Devon called "Gays Creamery".... For Real...

  61. John H Woods Silver badge

    Local to me:

    Doggy Style - canine grooming

    SKY Scaffolding - tag line: 'For a better erection'

    and - best of all -

    Bourton Drains - tag line: 'The Number 1 Name in the Number 2 Business'

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