FANS of a "beloved" bakery have said it's an "absolute shame" that it will close after its parent company plunged into £1.6m of debt.
Trove, an artisan bakery-cafe chain in Manchester, is set to close after its parent company entered liquidation.
The bakery group, owned by Two Hexagons Ltd, with sites in trendy locations have found themselves under a mountain of debt.
The £1.6m is made up of £941,423 owed to HMRC, £493,000 owed to Slonne Ltd, and another £75,000 owed to Ecotricity, the Manchester Evening News reported.
A sign had been placed on the door telling customers at the Ancoats store telling customers they had abandoned the premesis.
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Fans on social media were angry about the closure and many had their own theories about what had happened.
One said: "What an absolute shame. Its soul destroying."
Another wrote: "Rents, business rates and electricity are too high."
While a third posted: "Building rents are far too high."
Beyond what is owed to suppliers and HMRC, the company could owe thousands more to its staff.
Now ex-staff have claimed they believe they could be owed thousands in unpaid pensions, while others say they were never enrolled in pensions at all.
Trove was started by husband-and-wife team Marcus and Katy Saide on Levenshulme Market in 2011.
A year later they opened a cafe on Stockport Road. Then in 2018 they opened to Ancoats store with another opened in 2021 on Marble Street.
They had plans to expand into Wilmslow, Cheshire, but in December they left their industrial bakery they supplied their stores with break from.
A statement at the time said: “Last week we marked the end of an era as we closed the doors on our beloved bakery site at Crossley Park in Heaton Chapel.
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"Unfortunately the increasing rise in our energy costs and other charges forced us to leave the site.”
On Friday, passers-by were confronted with the sight of an A4 notice in the window that revealed the premises of the Ancoats outlet had been seized.
It read: “TAKE NOTICE that the landlord has today re-entered the premises in accordance with the landlord’s power under clause 6.1.3(a) of the lease,” the notice said. “As a consequence of the re-entry, the lease is forfeit and the premises have been secured.”
In a statement, landlords Manchester Life said: “Unfortunately, Two Hexagons Ltd, the tenant of Trove’s Ancoats unit, entered voluntary liquidation on May 20, which has led to the forfeiture of their lease. We remain open to working with Trove’s owners and hope for a positive outcome for their business.
"We have always nurtured collaborative relationships with our commercial tenants, supporting the vibrant businesses that contribute to the fabric of Ancoats. Our commitment includes maintaining some of the lowest rents in the neighbourhood and offering extended rent-free periods during the pandemic.”
Two Hexagons Ltd has been approached by The Sun for comment.
