Bakery buys comedian's former sites after closure

Janes Pantry, a bakery company, is set to revive 20 former locations of Coughlan's Bakery, which previously had comedian Romesh Ranganathan as a part-owner.

Coughlan's Bakery, an 89-year-old chain, entered voluntary liquidation after Ranganathan's involvement. Now, Janes Pantry has acquired the business, with plans to reopen some of its sites under the Janes Pantry brand.

In June, Coughlan's Bakery, which operated in Kent, Surrey, West Sussex, and south London, announced its cessation of trading, attributing the closure to high business rates and increased employer national insurance contributions.

Gloucestershire-based Janes Pantry confirmed its acquisition of several Coughlan's shops from the liquidators. The company intends to open 20 of these locations under its own name.

Janes Pantry also stated that former Coughlan's employees would be invited to reapply for positions at the reopened sites.

The bakery emphasized the positive impact of the reopening, saying, "Every shop that reopens means jobs restored, a unit back in use and footfall returning to the high street, which we believe serves everyone's interests: ours, theirs and the wider local economy's."

Discussions are ongoing regarding other properties within the Coughlan's estate.

Crawley-born Ranganathan, a vegan, initially invested in Coughlan's due to its selection of plant-based products. However, he will not be involved in Janes Pantry's new venture. He had previously expressed his dismay at the closure of the chain.

Sean Coughlan, the former managing director, had stated that the increases in employer national insurance contributions and high business rates "absolutely smashes local business."

In response, Commons Leader Sir Alan Campbell defended the tax changes, asserting their necessity to "spend more and invest in our public services."

Janes Pantry, established in Gloucester in 1971, currently operates 12 shops and employs over 100 staff.