A popular bakery chain is closing its doors at one location forever just weeks before Christmas.

East Bristol Bakery in Bristol will close, it was announced, after “trade dropped significantly". The bakery was also hit by a rat infestation. 

East Bristol Bakery also has chains in in Easton, Wapping Whard and Old Market.

In a statement, they said: “We’ve had to close the doors at East Bristol Bakery."

“We want to be transparent about why. Over the last 12 months midweek trade has dropped significantly and has not recovered. Recruitment has become extremely challenging for the past six months.

“Energy costs increased sharply. Flour, ingredients, rent and all other overheads have risen far beyond historical levels. The increase in National Insurance has added further pressure to an already growing wage bill.

“And in the last month a significant infestation at our Old Market site forced us to halve production and close the bakery. This created a financial hit of tens of thousands of pounds out of the blue, and ultimately made the business unsustainable. It is now going into liquidation.”

“Despite all of this, our team has continued to produce exceptional work. I am incredibly proud of them – their skill, their commitment, and the care they put into every single product. I’m so sorry that we’ve not been able to keep the business alive.

“We are equally grateful to our community. Your support over the years has allowed us to exist. Thank you for being with us through every stage.”

The statement continued: “I understand that it won’t feel like this to people. I am so very devastated for the team.

“I tried so hard to find a way through the significant challenges we faced in the last few weeks.

“As soon as I saw the business was not viable, I took professional advice and had to make the horrible decision to shut with immediate effect to ensure we could get pay to staff as quickly as possible.

“This means that staff payments are being handled through the Redundancy Payments Service.

“That is not about avoiding responsibility – it is simply how UK law works when a company is insolvent. Once a business enters liquidation, it legally cannot continue trading or make further payments itself.

“The insolvency process exists so that employees are protected and can receive statutory redundancy pay, holiday pay and notice pay directly and securely through the government scheme.

“The team deserves the absolute best, and I am devastated I haven’t been able to keep the bakery going for them.”