EXCLUSIVE: Two Oliver Adams bakeries in Northampton to close as part of 'restructure'

A much loved bakery brand is to close two of its Northampton outlets after the managing director revealed they were losing money 'hand over fist.'
The Oliver Adams store onthe corner of Wood hill is due to close as part of a restructing of the popular bakery firm.The Oliver Adams store onthe corner of Wood hill is due to close as part of a restructing of the popular bakery firm.
The Oliver Adams store onthe corner of Wood hill is due to close as part of a restructing of the popular bakery firm.

Last week Northampton firm Oliver Adams announced it was to close two of its bakeries in Rugby and one in Daventry.

And today, managing director for the century old company Mark Jarvis has further confirmed two of the popular bakeries in Northampton are to close.

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The corner outlet in Wood Hill, opposite County hall, is to shut along with the store at 209 Wellingborough Road.

Mr Jarvis said: “What is happening with the business is we are trying to restructure a little.

“There are a number of shops that aren’t profitable any more - it’s simple we have just got to close them.

“They are losing money hand over fist.”

Oliver Adams will continue to operate 18 outlets, including the bakery in Mercers Row and a second shop at the other end of Wellingborough Road, which Mr Jarvis said was “doing very well.”

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The bakery in Newport Pagnell will close as soon as the lease expires and the company will also not seek to renew leases on four already vacant units in Birmingham area, which failed to make a trading impact in the city.

Lawrence’s cafe in St Giles will remain open, but Mr Jarvis said job losses are inevitable in the company.

“We just had too many shops close to each other in Northampton,” he said.

“If anything they were taking business from each other.

“There will be some jobs lost, but knowing what we were planning we haven’t been replacing staff in recent times.

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“We are transferring some people to other shops as well, so we are trying to minimalise job losses as best we can.”

Mr Jarvis said he has no intention to change the Oliver Adams brand as part of the restructure, and it will continue to operate its factory in Gladstone Road.

Though he did say the company will look at “refreshing the products” the brand offers.

“Our bread offering is very much a popular demand with us.

“We need to look at some of the other lines and maybe consider introducing new products,

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“The brand itself I have thought about at great length, I don’t think it would help changing the way it is at the moment.”

Oilver Adams has roots stretching back to Victorian times and was founded by master baker Thomas Adams, who came to Northampton to learn the trade from Flore aged 16.

The company had passed on to his descendants over the course of a century until Mr Jarvis and business partner Martin Denness bought Oliver Adams last year for an undisclosed fee.