A HISTORIC East Lancashire bakery has been put on the market after its latest owners decide to hang up their aprons.

Caroline and Paul France are looking for new owners to take over The Cottage Bakery on Burnley Road, Crawshawbooth, and have enlisted experts Blacks Business Brokers to help with the process.

Mr and Mrs France themselves took the bakery over in 1997 and operated it successfully until November 2020 when they were forced to close as a result of ill-health. They now wish to sell the premises in order to retire.

The property for sale, which has housed a bakery for 100 years, also includes a shop next-door which is currently used for storage by a tenant. A large two-bedroom flat spanning the footprint of both retail properties is located on the first floor and to the rear of the property is an enclosed yard.

The bakery is fully equipped, with all fixtures and fittings included in the sale. The servery area at the front has a traditional, cottage bakery décor which, according to Mrs France, has been retained at the request of customers, who enjoy its retro ambience.

Until closing last November the Cottage Bakery made all of its products onsite, by hand. A number of its recipes, including those for its popular pies and custard tarts, were passed down from the previous owners, and can be made available to whoever purchases the business.

In its last full year of trading the business achieved turnover of almost £120,000, based on limited opening hours. According to Mrs France a new owner could significantly boost takings by opening full-time, introducing new product lines including hot sandwiches, or even knocking through into the shop next-door and converting it into a café area.

She also pointed out that new housing developments in the village will increase the number of local potential customers. “A good artisan bakery would really fly here,” she said.