STAFF at a bakery in Malmesbury who are owed a months wages have now been made redundant after the store suddenly closed last week.

THE Old Bakehouse on the High Street was closed last Thursday, with a sign stuck on the door saying it is closed for a few days due to "unforeseen urgent repairs" and will reopen soon.

Despite this, the 15-strong workforce were made redundant this morning (Tuesday, February 6) and the bakery is not set to reopen.

The bakery was taken over in August 2016 by The Oven Door Bakery, based at Long Sutton in Somerset, and company director Nicholas Gould.

Staff were due to be paid on January 31, but none of them have received January's wages and are now out of work.

Steve Whalley was manager at the bakery for 14 years before resigning over payment disputes last week, said that supplies were running low because suppliers also weren't being paid.

He said he hasn't been given holiday or pension pay, and is owed £4,000.

"We didn’t get paid so we refused to work. We are frustrated.

"I haven’t had a day off or any holidays, and work 18 hours a day to keep the business going. I am not the kind of person to keep it going without any pay."

Town Councillor Phil Exton worked at the bakery and isn't holding his breath when it comes to being given the wages he is owed.

He said: "A letter has been sent to all staff this morning making us all redundant.

"We were sort of expecting it. It isn't the first time Mr Gould has done this and it won't be the last. This is the way he has operated with several businesses.

"There is no business and no prospect of it currently reopening."

Instances of staff not being paid have occurred at other bakeries owned by Mr Gould.

Steve Whalley was manager at the bakery for 14 years before resigning over payment disputes last week, and said that supplies were running low because suppliers also weren't being paid.

He said he hasn't been given holiday or pension pay, and is owed £4,000.

"We didn’t get paid so we refused to work. We are frustrated.

"I haven’t had a day off or any holidays, and work 18 hours a day to keep the business going. I am not the kind of person to keep it going without any pay."

When asked when if and when his staff would be paid, Mr Gould would not answer the question, but said: "The site is currently shut, undergoing works. There is a re-organisation of the business at the same time, following a commercial review of its operation.

"This will include a consultation process for redundancy. This is due to a review of the staffing needs based upon any proposed new business models and in light of certain financial data.

""Any impacts arising are unfortunate and regrettable, but we have to review our position, complete our works, and seek to re-open shortly."