Colin the Caterpillar Bakery to Demolish Former Pub for Factory Expansion
Park Cakes, the renowned bakery behind the iconic Colin the Caterpillar cake for Marks & Spencer, is set to expand its operations in Oldham. The company has received official permission from Oldham Council to bulldoze the former Honeywell Arms pub, located at 491 Ashton Road, which it purchased in 2024. This move aims to extend the bakery's grounds and enhance the site's appearance.
End of an Era for the Honeywell Arms
The Honeywell Arms, a long-standing establishment formerly operated by Robinsons Brewery, has been boarded up and vacant since September 2024. The pub faced significant challenges, including a violent attack on the landlord in 2023, which contributed to its closure. After running the pub for 26 years, landlord Jack Dodd and his partner formally dissolved the business in August 2025, following an incident where his partner required 15 stitches after defending the pub from burglars.
Council Approval and Planning Rationale
Oldham Council approved the demolition of the two-storey building, which included a private flat on the first floor. In a planning report, council officer Dave Richards stated that the demolition does not represent the unnecessary loss of a valued community facility, citing the availability of alternative pubs within 1 kilometer (0.6 miles). The report highlighted the pub's long-term decline, with no visible investment in its facade since 2008, and described it as a degraded, visually harmful structure.
Richards emphasized that the proposal would remove a visual blight from a prominent location, leading to a safer, tidier, and more coherent interim site appearance. The demolition is scheduled to take place over two weeks, with work hours restricted to weekdays from 8am to 6pm and Saturdays from 9am to 1pm to minimize disruption to nearby residential areas.
Park Cakes' Expansion Plans
While Park Cakes has not yet disclosed specific long-term plans for the land, the company informed town planners of its immediate goals. These include modernizing the frontage of the Park Cakes site, improving traffic management and access safety, and eliminating the visual blight at a major junction. The bakery has not confirmed an exact timeline for the works, but the demolition marks a significant step in its expansion efforts.
This development underscores Park Cakes' commitment to enhancing its manufacturing facilities in Oldham, potentially supporting increased production of its popular Colin the Caterpillar cake and other baked goods. The move aligns with broader trends in the manufacturing sector, where businesses are optimizing their sites for efficiency and safety.
