Romesh Ranganathan has expressed devastation after the 89-year-old bakery chain he part-owns, Coughlans Bakery, entered voluntary liquidation and ceased trading. The comedian, 48, cited record-breaking June heatwaves as the 'nail in the coffin' for the business, which has shops in London, Kent, Surrey, and West Sussex.
Heatwaves and rising costs blamed for closure
In a Facebook video, managing director Sean Coughlan blamed the Government's April 2025 national insurance hike for employers, high business rates, and increased fuel prices due to the Middle East conflict. He stated these factors added an extra £20,000 per week in costs. The June heatwave saw revenue drop by 50%, making the business unsustainable.
Romesh reposted the video on Instagram with the caption: 'Gutted isn't the word.' He became involved with the bakery in 2024, calling it 'the partnership of the century.'
Sean Coughlan thanks Romesh for his heartfelt involvement
Sean praised Romesh, saying: 'Romesh has been amazing, I want to thank him so much. I feel like we've absolutely let him down. Everything he's done, it's been from the heart. He's devastated. None of us saw this coming.' He added that every day working with Romesh was a great time and that he became part of the family.
Romesh had designed a vegan treat, the Ranga Yum Yum, for the bakery and worked behind the counter last year to celebrate its launch. A portion of sales (10p per Yum Yum) was donated to mental health charity Calm, where Romesh is an ambassador. The launch drew a huge queue outside the Surrey shop, with Romesh joking the crowd was better than at his comedy gigs.
Voluntary liquidation to pay staff and suppliers
Coughlans Bakery entered voluntary liquidation to ensure staff and suppliers were paid across its stores. Sean called it 'absolutely heartbreaking' to see the family business, founded in 1937, fold after 89 years.
The closure highlights the impact of heatwaves, rising taxes, and fuel costs on small businesses. Romesh's involvement brought attention to the bakery, but the financial pressures proved insurmountable.
