A BAKER has found surprising success opening in a gym where he sells cakes as well as healthy protein shakes.

Ryan Connell opened The Tattooed Baker at SF Gym in Westhoughton and it is not just open to exercisers.

The unique coffee shop and bakery offers protein shakes, healthy smoothies and bagels as well as all kinds of cake the 30-year-old bakes himself and soon he will sell hot food.

Ryan said: “I have been getting tattoos since I was 17. There is a shock when people see me as a baker, because you would never think by looking at me that I bake cakes.

“I used to be an engineer and you’re covered in oil and it’s just very different to this.”

Ryan knew The Tattooed Baker would make a good name for his venture.

He added: “The business has been running for two years as a bakery from home and it was doing so well, I decided to open a shop.”

The gym belongs to friends of Ryan, who have been supportive.

He said: “We wanted to create a community with the gym and a good vibe.

“A lot of people wondered how it was going to work but since opening we’ve had nothing but good feedback.

“When I started baking, it was always on my mind and the owners are friends of mine. I saw there would be footfall.”

Ryan learned how to bake from his mum Kath, who used to own a bakery in Westhoughton.

He said: “My mum is made up for me and likes the idea. If I ever need help or advice, I just ring her, because she knows all there is to know about baking.”

He said: “I started baking more a few years ago and people started asking me to bake things for them. It snowballed from there.

“I drove around trying different coffees and eventually found a roast from Ronaldo in the Lake District.

“I wanted to bring top quality coffee to Bolton because I don’t think we have anything like that here.

Ryan is keen to expand the bakery to other areas and more gyms, especially as SF Gym is also looking to expand.A TATTOOED baker has found surprising success opening in a gym where he sells cakes as well as healthy protein shakes.

Ryan Connell from Westhoughton opened The Tattooed Baker at the gym two weeks ago at the front of SF Gym and is not just open to gymgoers.

The unique coffee shop and bakery offers protein shakes, healthy smoothies and bagels as well as all kinds of cake the 30-yeqar-old bakes himself and soon will sell hot food.

Ryan said: “I have been getting tattoos since I was 17.

“There is a shock when people see me as a baker, because you would never think by looking at me that I bake cakes.

“Especially because I used to be an engineer and you’re covered in oil and it’s just very different to this.

With tattoos covering his body, Ryan knew The Tattooed Baker would make a good name for his coffee shop and bakery.

“The business has been running for two years as a bakery from home and it was doing so well, I decided to open a shop.”

SF gym belongs to friends of Ryan, who were on board with the idea of a coffee shop opening at the gym.

He said: “We wanted to create a community with the gym and a good vibe.

“A lot of people wondered how it was going to work but since opening we’ve had nothing but good feedback.

“When I started baking, it was always on my mind and the owners are friends of mine. I saw that there would be footfall around the gym.”

Ryan is used to working in the kitchen as he learnt how to bake from his mum, who also used to own a bakery in Westhoughton.

He said: “My mum is made up for me and likes the idea. If I ever need help or advice, I just ring her, because she knows all there is to know about baking.”

Before baking, the tattooed baker was an engineer working at power stations.

He said: “I started baking more a few years ago and people started asking me to bake things for them and it snowballed from there.

“I drove around everywhere to try different coffees and eventually found the roast from Ronaldo in the Lake District.

“I wanted to bring top quality coffee to Bolton because I don’t think we have anything like that here.

Ryan is keen to expand the bakery to other areas and even more gyms, especially as SF Gym are also looking to expand.