A Great British Bake Off star has shut all of his shops “with a heavy heart” after 14 years in business.
The Pudding Stop, run by former contestant Johnny Shepherd, confirmed the shock closures across Hertfordshire on Sunday September 29.
Branches in St Albans, Harpenden, Radlett and Redbourn have all been affected.
In a statement posted to Facebook, the bakery said: “It’s no secret that the past few years have brought significant challenges, and throughout that time, we’ve worked tirelessly to keep The Pudding Stop going.”
“It is with a heavy heart that we have made the difficult decision to close the business,” the post added.
“As of this morning, all locations will remain closed until further notice.
“Thank you for your support and loyalty – it has meant the world to us.”
The closure brings an end to more than a decade of sweet success.
The Pudding Stop first launched in 2011 with a “Pudmobile” van outside St Albans City station.
Just two years later, Shepherd opened the first permanent shop thanks to support from loyal commuters.
Known for its hand-crafted doughnuts, brownies, pastries and coffee, the business quickly built a loyal following.
But like many in the hospitality sector, The Pudding Stop has struggled in recent years.
In an update, the team revealed that the shutdown had also left 30 employees without jobs.
The post said: “Sadly this means that we have 30 employees now looking for a new job.
“Some have been with us for over 10 years. It is a devastating situation be in.”
“If you run a restaurant, a cafe, a deli, a bakery or any other local business and you’re looking for staff – I have a list of the best people you could ever employee.
“Bakers, baristas, shop team members, front of house, delivery drivers and more! Please contact me and I’ll put you in touch.”
Locals have been quick to share messages of support for the much-loved bakery, thanking staff for their years of service.
TROUBLE IN THE RESTAURANT INDUSTRY
Chains have been struggling recently as the cost of living has led to fewer people spending on eating out.
Businesses have also been struggling to bounce back after the pandemic.
As a result, a number of chains have been forced to close down or reduce their estate.
The Cosy Club at Ipswich’s Buttermarket Shopping Centre has announced it made the “very difficult decision” to close doors on May 31.
The Browns Bar and Brasserie on Duke Street also closed its Brighton branch in May due to an issue with the venues lease expiring which could not be resolved.
Turtle Bay also shut its Blackburn site, which first opened in 2017.
Meanwhile, Oakman Inns & Restaurants said it would close six sites and transfer a further 12 as part of its administration.
The posh chain blamed the hangover from the pandemic and elevated interest rates for its troubles.
Plus, BrewDog announced it would close 10 sites last week – including its flagship branch in Aberdeen.
The pub chain already closed six sites at the start of the year following a £63million loss.
Why are retailers closing stores?
RETAILERS have been feeling the squeeze since the pandemic, while shoppers are cutting back on spending due to the soaring cost of living crisis.
High energy costs and a move to shopping online after the pandemic are also taking a toll, and many high street shops have struggled to keep going.
However, additional costs have added further pain to an already struggling sector.
The British Retail Consortium has predicted that the Treasury’s hike to employer NICs from April will cost the retail sector £2.3billion.
At the same time, the minimum wage will rise to £12.21 an hour from April, and the minimum wage for people aged 18-20 will rise to £10 an hour, an increase of £1.40.
The Centre for Retail Research (CRR) has also warned that around 17,350 retail sites are expected to shut down this year.
It comes on the back of a tough 2024 when 13,000 shops closed their doors for good, already a 28% increase on the previous year.
Professor Joshua Bamfield, director of the CRR said: “The results for 2024 show that although the outcomes for store closures overall were not as poor as in either 2020 or 2022, they are still disconcerting, with worse set to come in 2025.”
It comes after almost 170,000 retail workers lost their jobs in 2024.
End-of-year figures compiled by the Centre for Retail Research showed the number of job losses spiked amid the collapse of major chains such as Homebase and Ted Baker.
It said its latest analysis showed that a total of 169,395 retail jobs were lost in the 2024 calendar year to date.
This was up 49,990 – an increase of 41.9% – compared with 2023.
It is the highest annual reading since more than 200,000 jobs were lost in 2020 in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic, which forced retailers to shut their stores during lockdowns.
The centre said 38 major retailers went into administration in 2024, including household names such as Lloyds Pharmacy, Homebase, The Body Shop, Carpetright and Ted Baker.
Around a third of all retail job losses in 2024, 33% or 55,914 in total, resulted from administrations.
Experts have said small high street shops could face a particularly challenging 2025 because of Budget tax and wage changes.
Professor Bamfield has warned of a bleak outlook for 2025, predicting that as many as 202,000 jobs could be lost in the sector.
“By increasing both the costs of running stores and the costs on each consumer’s household it is highly likely that we will see retail job losses eclipse the height of the pandemic in 2020.”
Locals have been quick to share messages of support for the much-loved bakery[/caption]
