Coughlans Bakery, a chain part-owned by comedian Romesh Ranganathan, has announced it is closing all 31 of its stores after almost 100 years in business. The bakery, which first opened in 1937 and operated across southeast England, has ceased trading after entering voluntary liquidation.
Devastating Decision to Protect Suppliers and Staff
In a video posted to Instagram, co-owner Sean Coughlan said the decision was made to ensure the company could pay its suppliers and staff. He expressed devastation over the closures, noting that the business had been performing well until March when multiple factors began to hurt operations.
From April 1, additional National Insurance payments and wage increases started to take a toll. Coughlan stated: “Rates have absolutely smashed local businesses, local retail.” He also highlighted that the company’s fuel bill had doubled from £3,000 to £6,000 due to the conflict in the Middle East.
Heatwaves as the Final Blow
Coughlan described recent heatwaves as the “nail in the coffin,” with stores making only 50% of their normal revenue during those periods while outgoings remained the same. “Everything has been thrown at us,” he said, paying tribute to Ranganathan as an “honorary Coughlan” after the comedian purchased a stake in the business in 2024.
Coughlan admitted he felt he had let Ranganathan down, but the comedian commented on the post: “You’ve not let me down mate! Much love.”
Customer and Community Reaction
A Coughlans statement thanked customers for their support and urged people to shop local: “Please please please remember to shop local, our high streets need your love.” Customers shared disappointment on social media, with one calling the closure “utterly heartbreaking” and another saying the bakery was “so much better than Greggs.” Another commented: “89 years this bakery has been going and 41 members of the family have worked there. But they’ve had to close due to the rise in costs of everything. This is so wrong!!!”
All 31 stores, including branches in Croydon and Coulsdon in south London, will close with immediate effect.
