Staff at Mountstevens bakeries across west Wiltshire were left reeling at the news on Wednesday, July 24, that their workplace was to close with immediate effect.
The Bristol-based bakery chain, which has outlets in Trowbridge, Melksham, Chippenham, Corsham, Warminster and Westbury, ceased trading at noon, due to insolvency.
Employees were told that the shops had to close straight away, even it meant pushing customers out of the door.
Nearly 1,000 jobs are expected to go from the chain, which has 80 outlets across the south west.
In a statement, Mountstevens said the company was acquired in October 2001 at which time it was incurring substantial trading losses.
Despite the Board having recruited a new management team, cutting costs, closing selected unprofitable shops, and developing and investing in a new takeaway concept for a number of the shops, the losses have continued.
Mountstevens was bought in 1997 by Lyndale Food, and sold in September 2001 to Cleary Foods, based in South Wales.
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