A historic bakery with roots stretching back over a century is facing permanent closure at the hands of supermarket giant Morrisons, putting more than a hundred jobs in jeopardy.
A Second Blow for the Wakefield Site
Rathbones Bakery in Wakefield is being shut down by its owner, Morrisons, with 115 roles now at risk of redundancy. This marks the second time in two years the grocer has moved to close the facility. The site was previously rescued from the brink in November 2024 after a major restructuring plan, which saw the business pivot from producing white bread to speciality items like pita bread, crumpets, pancakes, and rolls.
That earlier restructuring involved 270 employees accepting voluntary redundancy. Despite these drastic changes and a forecast that suggested the bakery could break even by 2027, Morrisons has now concluded the business continues to operate at a loss.
"Tremendous Efforts" Fail to Secure Future
A spokesperson for Morrisons confirmed the difficult decision, stating that after a thorough review of all alternatives, they could no longer see a path to profitability for the site. They acknowledged the "tremendous" efforts made to grow the business but confirmed the proposal to close the remaining facility.
"This proposal does unfortunately mean colleagues at the site are at risk of redundancy," the spokesperson said. "We are however fully committed to doing everything we can to help all those affected, including identifying any other suitable roles available elsewhere in the Myton Group."
Legacy and Next Steps
Rathbones Bakery was originally founded in 1893 and was sold to Morrisons in 2005 in a move that prevented the chain from falling into administration. Morrisons is reportedly still considering options for the Wakefield site, including a potential sale or repurposing of the property.
It is important to note that this closure will not affect the in-store bakeries found within Morrisons supermarkets. The shutdown relates solely to the Rathbones production facility. The bakery's products are now set to disappear from supermarket shelves for good, ending a long chapter in British food manufacturing.
