A mahoosive "Coming soon" sign appeared in October 2025 in the BP garage forecourt (unleaded price was then 133.9) down the road from where I work: four stylized capital letters bookended by red stars with images of a flat white, a croissant and a baguette. Was I bothered? Heck yeah!

So it came to pass that in early December 2026, the latest Pret A Manger -- organic coffee, freshly made food -- opened its doors, only the second branch in Suffolk. First and only branch until now is at the Barton Mills Fiveways Roundabout on the A11 which I very much felt the need to visit last year. Wee bit underwhelming, honestly, since it was squeezed into an Esso garage with no seats of its own. Martlesham, though, has seating both inside and out.

Me and Andy are inside today: he hasn't been here before but I've already been plenty o' times for their excellent Too Good To Go deals (see earlier). I'd actually been here on my way home the previous day to grab a much-reduced bite to eat prior to Project Hail Mary at Cineworld: greatly enjoyed my mini ham baguette with gherkins pre-Gosling. Best deal available when eating in is the £7 meal deal: that'll be mine with the everyday triple sandwich, a bag of plain crisps and a cranberry and raspberry and pomegranate water. Not healthy enough for Andy, he says, so he grabs the attractively presented falafel & hummus bowl. Ain't cheap -- we're a long way from Greggs -- but it's good stuff, methinks.

Strangely busy out there with the fuellers fuelling up with fuel. Tesco's run out of petrol, says Andy, hence the queues (unleaded price now 152.9). Hormuz aside, time for us to move on to sweeter subjects. Quality pain au raisin and latte as per: when it's this good, even I don't mind paying the price. Idling over our treats, there's a steady stream of takeaways. After all, Martlesham is the new town centre. Shame that Pret didn't claim that prime spot in the actual town centre (though Jamaica Blue are doing a fine job) but I'm glad they're here. Get well met at Pret.

If it was a car -- Ton Pret Ferrari Art Car.
If they were passing by -- Pixie Geldof.