Seven Oddie’s sites saved in Lancashire bakery deal with Waterfields
Lancashire bakery Oddie’s is to hand over seven of its bakery stores to Leigh-based bakery Waterfields, and the stores are to trade under the Oddie’s name.
“Oddie’s is working on a handover of seven sites to Waterfields, led by Brabners and Azets. Whilst the process is still ongoing, the deal looks to secure the future of Oddie’s locations at Leeds Road (Nelson), Market Street (Colne), and in Burnley at St James Street, Coal Clough Lane, Padham Road, Brownside Road, and The Mall.
“We aim to have all stores open by early April, pending the completion of legal agreements, with St James Street in Burnley being the first scheduled to re-open on March 11, 2025,” said a spokesperson for the deal.
Azets, the accounting and advisory firm, has been advising the fourth-generation family bakery, alongside Brabners Solicitors.
Nelson-based bakery Oddie’s closed the doors on its 13 shops in January 2025, but the company has remained hopeful of finding a buyer for some parts of the business, with advisers Azets acting for the family on a deal.
The main bakehouse in Nelson served 13 shops across East Lancashire with baked bread and pies, TheBusinessDesk.com has been told that site has also been sold in a sperate deal, but no further details have been forthcoming.
In November TheBusinessDesk.com reported how efforts were being made by Azets and Brabners to save 100 jobs across the business.
Lara Oddie, director at Oddie’s, blamed the energy crisis quadrupling costs and declining footfall on the high streets as the factors behind a decision to sell, but that an eleventh-hour withdrawal by a potential buyer led to the closure.
The shops were spread across Burnley, Nelson and Colne, with one in Todmorden.
Waterfields itself has been through a restructuring and a CVA in 2016, and is now led by former Typhoo Tea chief executive Mike Brehme, who was appointed as a director on January 10, 2025, he has so far not responded to a request for comment.
Like Oddie’s Waterfields is a family-owned bakery that was founded in 1926 in Leigh and has shops across the North West.
