Bakery shop chain Firkins closes with loss of more than 100 jobs

LOCAL bakery shop chain Firkins has gone into liquidation with the loss of 104 jobs.

The bakery, which has been operating for 145 years, ran a number of High Street shops in the West Midlands including outlets in Birmingham, Solihull and West Bromwich.

The chain has been in and out of administration three times in the last ten years.

Northampton-based BRI Business Recovery and Insolvency said: “Following difficult trading periods on the high street, Newbridge Bakery (Retail) Ltd & Newbridge Bakery (Birmingham Retail) Ltd have announced that their shops trading as Firkins and Woolaston Bakery have closed and will cease to trade.

“Unfortunately, despite efforts to improve shop profitability at Newbridge Bakery (Retail) Ltd & Newbridge Bakery (Birmingham Retail) Ltd, and because of the lack of new sales the Directors have taken steps to place the company into a Creditors Voluntary Liquidation, which will result in the loss of 104 full and part time jobs.

“Newbridge Bakery (Retail) Ltd & Newbridge Bakery (Birmingham Retail) Ltd were transferred into new ownership back in April 2014 and were a local supplier in Birmingham of bakery and confectionery goods.”