A BOURNEMOUTH institution has gone up for sale.

Idah's, the baker's and patisserie at Lansdowne, is being sold due to its owner's ill-health.

The business has been run by the same family since 1962 and is popular with office workers and students in that part of the town for its lunch menu. But it's also popular because of its devotion to producing traditional cakes, such as Viennese jam slices, Belgian buns and selling up to 800 freshly-made doughnuts every week.

The business started in 1959 and was named after the wife of its owner, a Mr Hughes. When the new owner took it on, 57 years ago, he wanted to change the name but his bank manager disagreed and so it stuck.

Idah's was so well-known that in the past, it wasn’t uncommon to see a string of Rolls Royces lined up in the service road outside while their owners nipped in to buy cakes. And its wooden cooling table was a piece of wood left over from the material used to construct the gliders, which swooped across to France in advance of the D-Day landings.

Agents for the sale of the business say it has a healthy turnover and profits with scope to improve and will continue under new owners.

"Falcon Commercial is delighted to offer for sale this well presented bakers with hugely popular buffet delivery service which covers the many that are based within a five mile radius," it said. "It has been under the proud ownership of our client’s family since 1962 during which time they have made considerable investment and improvements to reflect changing markets over the years. It is now being offered for sale as the owner is suffering from ill health. During our client’s stewardship the business has built up an excellent reputation for its gorgeous freshly made products that include sandwiches and baguettes along with cakes, savouries and pastries."