Greggs to shut Sleaford bakery

Greggs is set to push ahead with plans to shut three of its 12 bakeries, including its site at Sleaford in Lincolnshire, which will result in more than 300 job losses.

Around 15 jobs will go at Greggs Sleaford bakery as it becomes the first casualty of what the company is calling a £100m investment programme in its manufacturing and distribution operations.

Greggs’ Twickenham bakery will close in the fourth quarter of 2016 followed by Edinburgh in the second quarter of 2017.

The news comes as Greggs announced sales were up by 5.7% for the first 18 weeks of 2016 – slightly down from the 5.9% rise in 2015.

A statement from the company read: “Our people impacted by these proposals have demonstrated their commitment and professionalism during a difficult period and our focus now is to work with them individually to ensure that we manage these changes in line with Greggs’ values as a responsible employer.

“Alongside these closures we will continue to develop our plans to invest in our remaining supply chain network over the next five years in order to create centres of excellence serving our growing shop estate.”