Oddies bakery reopens today - update on future of other Lancashire sites as Waterfields agrees takeover deal
Oddies Bakery, which closed its branches across Lancashire at the end of January, has struck a deal to reopen seven sites.
The 120-year-old family business, based in the Burnley and Pendle areas, has been working with Wigan-based Waterfields, and the first shop - in St James’ Street, Burnley - reopens today.
A spokesman said: “Oddie's is working on a handover of seven sites to Waterfields, led by Brabners and Azets. Whilst the process is still ongoing, the deal looks to secure the future of Oddie's locations at Leeds Road (Nelson), Market Street (Colne), and in Burnley at St James Street, Coal Clough Lane, Padham Road, Brownside Road, and The Mall. We aim to have all stores open by early April, pending the completion of legal agreements, with St James Street in Burnley being the first scheduled to re-open on March 11, 2025."
What happened?
Management at Oddies sounded the alarm bells in November when new buyers pulled out of a sale at the last minute. The family-owned business said it was “beginning to see the shoots of recovery” from ecomoic slowdown compounded by the pandemic, however, cost pressures - including energy prices - had put a “heavy strain on the company’s finances and ultimately the cost to reinvest and recover.”
A statement was released last month, saying Oddies was working with Waterfields in the hope of reaching a deal on certain sites, but no further information was given.
Waterfields
Like Oddie’s, Waterfield’s is a business that has stretched across several generations of a family. During the general strike of 1926, Alice Waterfield set up a small bakery in Mather Lane, Leigh, selling pies and confectionery to the local factory workers. As the reputation grew, so did business and soon her husband Albert joined Alice to work in the bakery. He left his job as a coal miner, after taking his qualifications in baking at Manchester Technical College where he studied at night after a day spent down the pit.
Their daughter Hilda supervised the cake decorating department and later moved on to retail supervision. Albert Jnr, who joined the firm in 1956 after army service, was later to become Managing Director in 1961, following the death of his father.
In 1984, the business had expanded to such an extent that there was a requirement to move the bakery again, this time to Manchester Road, Leigh. It was around then that the third generation, Richard and John Waterfield, became involved in the management of the business, having spent several years both in the UK and Europe developing skills in the art of baking.
Waterfields now has 36 shops across the North West.