Bagel panic hits Brick Lane: Customers queue in their droves outside iconic ... trends now
Panic-stricken customers flooded into Brick Lane today over fears the iconic street's last remaining bagel shop was shutting its doors.
The frenzy was sparked after a social media post, which has since been deleted, claimed the popular Beigel Bake shop had sold its last roll.
It turned out to be a false alarm but led to staff at the shop, which bakes 7,000 bagels a day, being forced to bake an extra batch to satisfy demand.
The scare came just weeks after a renowned rival - the Beigel Shop just four doors away - dramatically closed its doors after a reputed 169 years in business.
The rival shop - affectionately known as the ‘yellow one’ because of its distinctive signage - was shuttered amid an alleged family falling out.
One happy customer with their bagel outside Beigel Bake today after waiting in a long queue that formed over fears the bakery was soon closing
Plans are being drawn up to reopen the Beigel Shop but as the premises remain padlocked, the prospect that no bagels would be on sale in Brick Lane for the first time since 1855 proved too much to bear for food lovers.
One customer told MailOnline: 'I was so shocked when I heard [Beigel Bake] was closing down that I rushed over so I could have one last salt beef bagel.
'Thankfully when I got here it was business as usual - although with bigger queues.'
The shop - known as the 'white one' because of its signage and famed for never closing its doors because of its round-the-clock opening hours - has become a cherished institution in the street which attracts visitors from around the world.
Scotching the viral rumour a senior member of the family, which has run the 'white one' since 1974, told MailOnline: 'We're not closing down.
'There must be some confusion with the place next door.
'Don't worry - Brick Lane will still have beigels.'
Beigel Bake also boasts a celebrity clientele with pop stars Madonna and Mariah Carey among its customers while Prince William and wife Kate visited to help out in the wake of the coronavirus crisis.
The Duke and Duchess delighted royal fans with their visit to Beigel Bake in 2020, with local people leaning out of their apartment windows to catch a glimpse of the couple
People watched from the windows above Beigel Bake Brick Lane Bakery as Prince William and Kate visited while wearing face coverings due to the COVID-19 pandemic
The 'yellow one' professed to be the oldest bagel shop in Brick Lane and is said to have sold bagels on the site since 1855 when it was founded by Jewish immigrants from Russia.
It's thought a family dispute broke out following a row with the landlord over rent.
MailOnline revealed plans are being drawn up to get the beloved bakery back in business after a new set of directors were appointed last month.
But with wrangling still taking place behind closed doors it was too much to bear for many as unfounded concerns were raised over the future of the rival Beigel Bake.
Heating engineer Michael Herring, 56, said: 'I was born and bred round here.
'These shops have always been here my whole life.
'I just couldn't imagine Brick Lane without a bagel shop.
'I've been coming down here since I was a kid. I've always used the white one. I couldn't count how many times I've been here.
'I live out in Essex now but I still come here for the bagels.
'Brick Lane has changed so much since I was a kid. I hardly recognise the place now.
'There used to be local shops and tradesmen who would set up here but they've all gone. There was a proper market here - they even had a dog market.
'The bagel shops are the last places still here from the old days. They are part of the establishment now.'
The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge were cheered as they arrived at the world-famous bakery back in 2020
The Duke and Duchess admitted they had never tried the famous bagels from the store before this special visit fours years ago
The Duke and Duchess appeared in high spirits during the visit to the bakery, with Prince William playfully tossing a piece of dough into the air
Bronte Tuxworth, 28, who works in a nearby vintage clothing shop, said: 'Both shops were open 24/7 but the nearest one then just closed suddenly.
'It was open one day and the next day it wasn't. It's a bit of a mystery. No-one here is sure what's going on.
'It was a very popular place. I think both the bagel shops were family run so it's sad to see a family business shut down. I hope it's not the end.
'People come here at all times of the day and night. It's a real institution.
'This part of brick lane is known for its bagel shops and vintage shops. I can't imagine it any other way.'
University student Amreen Sangha, 21, who stood at the back of the snaking queue, said: 'It's such a famous place I saw it
