Bakery gone as another last minute closure hits Melton high street

Another last minute shock closure has hit Melton Mowbray town centre this morning as it's been confirmed that Butterwicks Bakery in South Parade has closed their doors for the final time.

It comes just days after it was announced that Clarks shoe shop wouldn't reopen following the franchise owners ceasing trading with no prior warning putting people out of work.

It's now been confirmed that Butterwicks will not be reopening as the chain are closing all but two of their stores.

In a post on social media issued this morning (Monday) owners Ryan & Fiona Scaborough said: "It is with deep regret that we announce the closure of all Butterwick stores with immediate effect, apart from our Rushden Lakes and Northampton St Giles locations."

The owners went on to say: "This decision has not been made lightly. Despite tireless efforts to secure all stores and protect every role, the continued rise in operating costs and significant changes in customer spending habits have left us unable to sustain the business in its current form."

Melton's branch of Butterwicks in South Parade which opened in January 2024. Photo: NEMM

"We are heartbroken for the impact this has on our incredible team members, who have worked with such passion and dedication to deliver the warm, welcoming Butterwick experience that so many of you have come to love. We are immensely proud of every one of them and deeply grateful for their commitment."

They have said they will not stop operating completly while focussing on the two stores that remain open.

The statement went on to say: "Looking ahead, however, this is not the end of Butterwick – it’s the beginning of an exciting new chapter. By focusing on Rushden and Northampton, we will be returning to our roots: an authentic in-store bakery experience where craft, freshness, and creativity come first.

We’ll be bringing back some of our most loved original products, creating lots of new ones, and giving our menus a big upgrade – from handcrafted drinks to freshly made sandwiches. Our goal is to deliver the very best of Butterwick: indulgent, high-quality treats and a coffeehouse experience our communities can be proud of."

The couple added that any pre booked celebration cakes would still be made.

They added: "For those with celebration or wedding cake orders, please don’t worry – all cakes will be made as planned. If your chosen collection store is no longer open, we will be in touch directly to make alternative arrangements.

We also want to reassure you that all loyalty points and gift cards remain valid and fully redeemable in our Rushden Lakes and Northampton St Giles stores.

We would like to sincerely thank all of our loyal customers for your support over the years. Your kindness, encouragement, and love for what we do have meant the world to us. We can’t wait to welcome you into our Rushden and Northampton stores to share everything we’ll be working on. With heartfelt thanks, Ryan & Fiona."

Oakham's branch pictured on Monday morning. Photo: NEMM

In an email to staff, seen by NEMM, it seems that staff from the high street shops have been pointed towards IPERA who will be dealing with any remaining employee queries such as wages and holiday pay.

The note advised that employees of Butterwicks would be invited to a Teams call at 11am this morning with IPERA who will guide them through the next stages of the process to talk about claiming wages, notice pay and holiday pay that is owed through the redundancy service.

The message went on to blame the challenges in the current economic climate which made it impossible to continue in their current form.

NEMM has contacted IPERA for comment. All creditors should direct queries going forward to BRI Business Recovery and Insolvency on rjago@briuk.co.uk and rboston@briuk.co.uk.