Sayers Bakery, a UK bakery chain with 91 branches, has confirmed it will close 19 stores by the end of August 2026, putting around 100 jobs at risk. The chain, founded in 1912 and operating across Merseyside, cited financial challenges as the reason for the closures.
Financial Challenges and Review
After reviewing its estate, the company found that certain bakeries were "no longer commercially viable." A spokesperson for parent company Sayers and Poundbakery Limited said: "Following a comprehensive review of our store portfolio, the company has concluded that a number of locations are no longer commercially viable."
The spokesperson 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."
Reasons for Closures
The company attributed the closures to a difficult trading period, noting "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 whilst also maintaining sales volumes."
Sayers started in Old Swan, where husband and wife Fred and Lylian Sayer sold goods from their basement kitchen. The chain has grown to operate 91 stores across the UK and is part of a wider retail group that also operates Poundbakery.
Future Plans
The locations of the 19 bakeries set to close have not yet been publicly disclosed. However, the company said it is focused on safeguarding the future of the business and investing in the remaining 72 shops, preserving its place on the high street.
