An award-winning bakery in Old Market has announced it will be permanently closing today (February 3). The Assembly Bakery on West Street has thanked its customers for their support over the years, after announcing the closure with a "heavy heart".
The Old Market site first opened in 2017 and quickly became known for its beautifully made loaves, pastries and cakes championing some of the best local ingredients. It expanded to a second site in Wapping Wharf's Cargo development in 2021, which closed last year.
Speaking on the West Street closure, the bakery's statement read: "It is with a very heavy heart that we are announcing from today the closure of the Assembly Bakery. Thank you for being a part of our family, thank you for your custom, and thank you for supporting artisanal bread!
Read more: Much-loved bakery forced to close one site due to cost of living crisis
"It has been an honour for us to serve the community over the last five and a half years and we are sad to say goodbye but then all good things come to an end."
BristolLive has approached The Assembly Bakery for clarification on the reason for its closure. The news has come as a shock to its customers who have thanked the bakery for its "delicious baked goods".
One person on Instagram, @becky.murray.54, commented: "You were the best bakery." @ keldo_84 added: "Gutted to hear this, especially sorry for all the lovely staff and on a selfish note I'll miss my weekly cheese and marmite swirl."
The bakery hit the headlines in August 2021 after it made the decision to make four staff members redundant during a "very difficult time" for independent businesses. A picket line was formed in front of the bakery made up of nine members of staff who refused to work over the staffing decision.
At the time, bakery director James Dingle said he understood the frustrations of the workers but that the owners had "behaved professionally and appropriately at every stage". He added: "The real story here is another example of a small business likely to go under because of the pressure put upon us by Brexit and Covid. And it won’t be the last."
Earlier this week, longstanding business Cottage Bakery announced it had closed its Fishponds site due to the cost of living crisis. It said it had been forced to close one of two of its sites after battling a difficult economic climate for the past three years.
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