A MAJOR high street bakery chain has suddenly closed another store, after shutting 170 branches across the country.
The news was confirmed on a window notice at the shuttered store, leaving loyal customers shocked.
Patisserie Valerie in Maidstone, Kent, thanked locals for their support – and made a cryptic reference to a potential return.
The message read: “We would like to take this time to take this opportunity to thank you for your support over the years, and we look forward to returning to Maidstone as soon as possible.”
The Belgian chain is famed for its luxurious cakes, pastries and coffee.
As well as running physical bakeries, it also stocks its sweet treats in various supermarkets including Sainsbury’s.
The company opened its first branch in London in 1926, before rapidly expanding to almost 200 across the country – with 3,000 employees.
But it fell into administration in 2019, and was forced shut more than 170 bakeries.
Since then, further stores have also announced closures – including High Wycombe’s Eden Shopping Centre branch in January last year.
A Patisserie Valerie in Nottingham city centre followed suit a few months later – with a handwritten note on the front door announcing that it had been “permanently closed”.
The closure prompted a wave of locals to bemoan the state of the high street, with one writing: “Nottingham is becoming one awful ghost city.”
And another said: “Another one gone.”
[bc_video account_id=”5067014667001″ application_id=”” aspect_ratio=”16:9″ autoplay=”” caption=”Why are so many pubs and bars closing?” embed=”in-page” experience_id=”” height=”100%” language_detection=”” max_height=”360px” max_width=”640px” min_width=”0px” mute=”” padding_top=”56%” picture_in_picture=”” player_id=”default” playlist_id=”” playsinline=”” sizing=”responsive” video_id=”6352178578112″ video_ids=”” width=”640px”]Patisserie Valerie is not the only business to struggle with rising costs in recent weeks.
This week, another bakery, Palmers Bakery, in Stanton near Bury St Edmunds, also confirmed it would be shutting its doors in just a few weeks’ time – after 155 years of business.
[authenticated-scripts src=”%3Cscript%20class%3D%22palin-poll%22%20src%3D%22https%3A%2F%2Fwww.thesun.co.uk%2Fpollingwidgets%2Fv3%2Fwidget.js%3Fquestion_id%3D108198%26game%3Dpolling%22%3E%3C%2Fscript%3E” type=”embedded” width=”100″ /]WHAT IS HAPPENING TO HOSPITALITY?
Many food and drink chains have been struggling recently as the cost of living has led to fewer people spending on eating out.
Businesses had been struggling to bounce back after the pandemic, only to be hit with soaring energy bills and inflation.
Multiple chains have been affected, resulting in big-name brands like Wetherspoons and Frankie & Benny’s closing branches.
Some chains have not survived, Byron Burger fell into administration last year, with owners saying it would result in the loss of over 200 jobs.
Pizza giant, Papa Johns announced it would be shutting down 43 of its stores this year.
Tasty, the owner of Wildwood, also shut sites as part of major restructuring plans.
This year has seen the announcing of further closures including from casual dining group Chipotle and an award-winning independent bistro in Merseyside.
