Butterwick store closures leave staff in tears and some heading to food bank after being 'disposed of' by Corby bakery chain
Staff who have lost their jobs after the immediate closure of 12 coffee shops owned by Butterwick Bakes Ltd have spoken of their disbelief and anger.
Workers found out the company had stopped trading on Monday morning (September 22) and those working at their stores in Corby, Kettering, Market Harborough, Oakham, Leicester, Milton Keynes, Retford, Melton Mowbray and Rugby were invited to an online meeting.
Chloe Morrison, manager of both of the Market Harborough branches – one at the railway station, the other in Church Street – found out earlier than her colleagues that an announcement was imminent as she prepared for an early shift to serve commuters.
Since the closure, she says she has been in tears and worried about paying her bills.
The 28-year-old said: “I rely on the job to pay my rent. It’s been very hard. I’ve not slept. My mental health is shocking – I’ve lost the amount of times I’ve cried. My rent is due and I’m having to go to the food bank. I never thought I’d be made redundant at the age of 28.”
Chloe had worked a shift at the Butterwick outlet at Market Harborough train station on Saturday, just days before she got the closure news.
She said: “It’s such a shock to the system. The train station (branch) was thriving, I believed in the brand. It’s an awful mess.”
Working with Chloe had been newly-recruited 20-year-old Tia Andrews, who had been in the job for two weeks.
She said: “I was on my second week. I had just finished my training. I had struggled to get a job and I was thrilled to get it – I jumped at the opportunity.
“I’m not happy. We all feel let down.
"We were meant to get paid on the 29th, I was expecting £250 but I’m not sure I’ll get that. I would like to ask why did they betray us? It’s a complete mess. They were still opening stores.”
Another Market Harborough employee 20-year-old Amber Hobbs had received a message 20 minutes before she was due to start her shift from Butterwick founder and director Ryan Scarborough as she got ready to open the Butterwick kiosk at the station.
She had been working at the shop to save money to pay for courses to be a personal trainer.
Amber said: “I found out by being told by Ryan 20 minutes before my shift. I thought I was about to be fired. At 6.35am, we all got an email saying 12 shops were being closed down, It was shocking and I was very confused. We were assigned to an 11am meeting to help with our redundancy money.
"We were all confused. It was a kick to all of us. We were not worth anything to them. We were all to be ‘disposed’ of.”
All three former members of staff are now looking for work.
Meanwhile Butterwick’s two remaining outlets, in Northampton Giles Street and at Rushden Lakes, are still trading.
When our reporter visited the Rushden shop yesterday (Wednesday), Mr Scarborough was seen on the premises and customers were being served as normal.
A statement produced on behalf of Butterwick Bakes Ltd by BRI Business Recovery and Insolvency said: “BRI Business Recovery and Insolvency (BRI) has been instructed by the directors of Butterwick Bakes Ltd (“the Company”) to assist with the closure of 12 of the 14 sites across the Midlands and also to assist with placing the Company into creditors’ voluntary liquidation
“Approximately 62 employees were made redundant following the closure of the 12 sites and they are being supported by IPERA Services Limited.
“The directors have explained that by returning to the Northampton and Rushden Lakes sites they will be returning to their roots to allow an authentic in-store bakery experience where craft, freshness, and creativity come first.
“For those with celebration or wedding cake orders, all cakes will be made as planned. If your chosen collection store is no longer open, the directors will be in touch directly to make alternative arrangements.
“All loyalty points and gift cards remain valid and fully redeemable in the Northampton and Rushden Lakes stores.
“A date for the liquidation has not yet been proposed but it is estimated to be around mid to late October 2025.”
Mr Scarborough and his wife Fiona are directors of two ‘dormant’ companies Butterwick Bakery Limited and Butterwick Kettering Ltd as well as Butterwick Bakes Ltd.
Butterwick Bakes Ltd has another director, investor Ian Sharp.
The most recent accounts filed up to February 28, 2025, on Companies House show large debts for Butterwick Bakes Ltd.