Coughlans Bakery is closing all 31 of its stores after entering voluntary liquidation, according to reports from BBC Business and the Evening Standard. The company says the decision is linked to higher national insurance costs and increases in business rates, which it says have made trading unsustainable. The closures follow the end of the business’s operations across its store network, with liquidation proceedings described as voluntary.
Both outlets also reference public reaction to the shutdown involving comedian Romesh Ranganathan. The Evening Standard reports that Ranganathan had previously backed the bakery, while BBC Business notes he reacts with disappointment, describing him as “gutted” following the announcement. Together, the coverage presents the closure as part of a broader financial impact from government-related cost increases, while also highlighting the bakery’s long-running presence and the attention it has attracted from supporters.
No information in the provided reports indicates a buyer or alternative operating plan, and the focus remains on the liquidation decision and the nationwide store closures.
