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Historic bakery to close down ahead of 160-year anniversary

By William Dodds

- Last updated on GMT

Robinsons Artisan Family Bakery opened in 1864. Credit: Getty / Phil Boorman
Robinsons Artisan Family Bakery opened in 1864. Credit: Getty / Phil Boorman

Related tags Bakery

Robinsons Artisan Family Bakery has announced that it will close down on 16 December 2023.

First opened in 1864, the business has remained in the family throughout its 159-year existence, spanning a total of six generations.

With owner David Robinson set to retire and youngest daughter Grace, who runs day-to-day operations, moving onto a new role, the bakery was put up for sale in August.

However, the family was unable to find a buyer and as a result has been forced into announcing the bakery's closure before the end of the year.

In a post on the Robinson Artisan Family Bakery Facebook page, Grace wrote that with “great sadness​”, the family had been forced to settle on the decision.

Referencing the initial attempt to sell the business, she added: “This was due to several factors, but the overwhelming factors were the economic crisis and the ever-increasing cost of energy, utilities, and never-ending spiralling cost of ingredients.”

Located in Failsworth, Manchester, Robinsons bakery made fresh bread, pastries and cakes on a daily basis.

I feel extremely grateful to have had the past 23 years’ experience being taught to be a baker and a business owner by my grandad Arthur, and my dad David​,” the post continued.

I am thoroughly thankful to our whole team who have helped to make our bakery shop what it has grown to be, and I wish them all success in their journeys going forward.”

Looking back on the past obstacles the business had managed to overcome, Robinson said that it had survived "two world wars and Covid"​ but “unfortunately, the struggles of 2023 have proved to just be too much".

We almost made it to 160 years​,” she concluded.

The news comes in the same week that it was announced that Jacksons the Bakers had been acquired by Allen Jackson Bakery Limited​.

The move saves the jobs of 50 people employed by the bakery, which secured a prepack deal in early September saving it from administration.

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