CROWDFUNDER
We’re running a crowdfunder to help launch a cookery school here at The Focacceria. The works will be completed late February with a full schedule of classes and events to run from March 2026. Buy a voucher for yourself or as a gift and be the first to book onto the classes when they schedule is finalised in January. Vouchers are transferable to any events within our cookery school, subject to availability, and are valid for 24 months from the date of purchase.
Our plans
We have a host of plans for the space here at House Proud with big changes on the horizon. A section of the restaurant is currently closed off and is due to be renovated into a bakery/sandwich bar. The customer area for this addition will double up as a cookery school, where Ciarán, as well as guest chefs and bakers, can host a series of bread classes, courses and other events. These changes will be funded by a Crowdfunder, and that’s where you come in.
Live now
Live now on our site are bookings for the cookery school. You can purchase vouchers for a host of classes, such as a sourdough masterclass, all day baking, or even Ciarán’s sourdough skills course. All sales will go directly towards to the renovations of the space upstairs with plans to launch the cookery school in late February 2026.
Goal of raising £25,000
Ciarán has set a lofty goal of raising £25,000 to complete this project, but it’s actually the first of three. There is so much potential for The Focacceria and The Hundredth Monkey Bakery at their home on Boucher Road and there are two more phases of the renovations planned, again funded via a crowdfunded through this site. Phase 2 is a renovation to the restuarant area, including lighting and a new entrance to allow access separate to House Proud, giving scope to run the space in the evenings as a restaurant proper. The third and final phase is fully behind the scenes, there is a large production kitchen on site and with a cookery school, bakery/sandwich bar and now fully functioning restaurant, this area will be rethought and designed to be seamlessly act as the heart of all the divisions of the The Hundredth Monkey Bakery.
Crowdfund FAQs
Everything you need to know
First and foremost by continuing to be loyal customers and advocates of The Focacceria. Coming back, telling your friends, family, colleagues and anyone who will listen is always the biggest help any small business like ours can receive, but to directly support our goals and the crowdfund ask, buy the vouchers, merchandise and other items on this site all directly funds our planned renovations and upgrades.
Crowdfunding is something Ciarán has constantly toyed with, but getting asked about bread classes on a weekly and sometimes daily basis it felt like the best way to bring about the changes required was to finally launch one and use our community to deliver the upgrades through essentially a presale of tickets.
The Focacceria and The Hundredth Monkey Bakery both happened essentially by accident but with a healthy dose of resilience and perseverance. A cookery school, bakery/sandwich bar, fully fledged restaurant and newly renovated production kitchen will all happen, whether or not any or all of the crowdfunders fail to reach their goals, more time, more innovation and certainly more resilience will be required, but these goals will all be realised, just hopefully with your help. Should the crowdfunding fall short, all of the offers within it are fully deliverable, whether one ticket or 1000 tickets are sold, any merchandise, vouchers and any other offers can and will be delivered.
This is not an ask for donations. Our customers and wider community as well as those with an interest in cooking and baking classes are most likely to support this project.
Hear from Ciarán
Ciarán, founder of The Focacceria and Head baker at The Hundredth Monkey Bakery talks about the crowdfunder and how to get invovled
Brand new courses
Support our launch and crowdfunder by booking a course below
Bake Your Own Loaf
Come and have a chat and a coffee with Ciarán and hear all about his bread journey so far. You’ll fire your own sourdough loaf into the oven, which you...
£30.00
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Baking Bad (2.5 hours)
Get your yellow hazmat suit on and come into weird world of sourdough science where Ciarán will lead you through a series of experiments to help teach you all about...
£60.00
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Sourdough Masterclass (3+ hours)
An in-depth look at the process of making sourdough from start to finish. This class is an overview of the world of sourdough and helps you really get to grips...
£75.00
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All Day Baking (8 hours)
An all day sourdough class baking at the pace you would at home. Sourdough has lots of downtime so during this class the group will breakout to cook a breakfast...
£150.00
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Cookery School Gift Voucher — For Baking & Food Workshops
A digital voucher redeemable ONLY for cookery school classes. Not valid at the Focacciaria restaurant.
£25 - £200+
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Sourdough Skills Course (8 weeks, 1.5-2 hours per session)
Baking is all about getting your hands in the dough, working clean and being organised. It also requires a deep level of understanding of your environment as it’s presented to...
£400.00
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Crowdfund launched
More info coming soon
