Bakery chain co-owned by Romesh Ranganathan to close after 90 years
Coughlans Bakery ceases operations amid financial pressures
Comedian Romesh Ranganathan has expressed his disappointment after Coughlans Bakery, an 89-year-old business in which he was a part-owner, shut down due to financial difficulties.
The bakery, known for its shops across south London, Kent, Surrey, and West Sussex, announced on Tuesday that it had gone into voluntary liquidation.
Ranganathan, who gained fame for his distinctive deadpan humour, had partnered with the bakery chain in 2024, calling the collaboration "the partnership of the century."
In a Facebook video, managing director Sean Coughlan detailed the factors leading to the closure, highlighting the impact of increased national insurance contributions for employers and high business rates.
According to Mr Coughlan, these additional costs, along with a surge in fuel prices caused by the conflict in the Middle East, added £20,000 a week to the bakery’s expenses.
Ranganathan shared Mr Coughlan’s video on Instagram, telling his 1.4 million followers, "Gutted isn’t the word."
Mr Coughlan praised Ranganathan’s involvement with the bakery, 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 attributed recent heatwaves, with temperatures reaching 35C in South East England, as worsening the bakery's situation.
“These two heatwaves where no-one really seems to come out... We literally take about 50% of what we would normally take in a normal week, with our outgoing still exactly the same, which is absolutely heartbreaking,” Mr Coughlan said.
The business chose to enter voluntary liquidation to ensure the ability to pay suppliers and employees is maintained.