Sayers Bakery, a Liverpool institution, is closing 19 of its sites, putting around 100 jobs at risk. The company, which still operates more than 20 sites across Merseyside and almost 40 nationwide, confirmed the planned closures at the end of August 2026.
Company Background and Ownership
The business began as a family operation in Old Swan in 1912, when Fred and Lylian Sayer sold baked goods from a basement kitchen. Since then, it has undergone several changes, including a partial rebranding as Poundbakery and subsequent ownership changes. Sayers is now owned by Karen Wood and managed by Mark James and David Silvester.
S&PB Retail Ltd, which runs the bakeries branded as Sayers the Bakers and Poundbakery, confirmed that 19 undisclosed locations are scheduled to close. The affected sites have not yet been identified.
Reasons for Closures
In a statement issued to the ECHO, the company said: "Following a comprehensive review of our store portfolio, the company has concluded that a number of locations are no longer commercially viable."
The statement added: "After careful consideration, the senior management has therefore proposed to close 19 underperforming shops at the end of August 2026, which is expected to result in approx. 100 redundancies out of 800 employees within the company."
It continued: "This has come about after a very difficult trading period due to a number of factors, particularly a change in customer shopping habits, which has led to a reduction of people on the high street along with inflation on the cost of running the business, which has been difficult to pass on to customers while also maintaining sales volumes."
Future Focus and Previous Closures
The company said: "Our focus is safeguarding the future of the business, investing in our remaining 72 shops and protecting approx. 700 jobs while preserving our place on the high street, where we have been for 114 years."
Last August, the group announced that its store at Churchill Shopping Centre in Aintree had permanently closed, along with shops on Banks Road in West Kirby and Queens Avenue in Widnes. A spokesperson at the time told the ECHO: "In response to the ever-evolving High Street and wider market challenges, S&PB Retail Ltd has initiated a strategic restructuring programme to ensure a stronger and more sustainable future for the business."
The spokesperson added: "This includes the closure of underperforming sites. These changes are designed to strengthen the company’s long-term operational and financial performance and ensure continued stability. We appreciate your ongoing support in helping businesses survive these challenging times in order to save our High Street."
