After more than 100 years of trading Satterthwaites bakery closed its doors this weekend and handed their keys over to administrators.
The bakery was due to shut down seven stores across Bootle and Crosby resulting in the loss of 70 jobs. Owner, Roger Wilson, 71, who is the grandson of the original owners Walter and Miriam Satterthwaite, talked of his disappointment in having to close down.
He told JMU Journalism: “I was devastated because we had been hoping against hope that we were going to be able to weather the difficult trading conditions experienced last year.”
Mr Wilson announced last month that the company was looking for buyers to potentially save the business but none were forthcoming. He said: “It became clear that we should seek a buyer, but although there were several interested parties we were not able to reach agreement with any.”
Roger’s earliest memory of the company was in 1946 and, although working as a deep ocean marine chemist for 30 years, he has been in daily contact with the business.
He said: “I only returned to Crosby and Satterthwaites about 20 years ago, so I haven’t been in charge for that long compared to my grandparents.”
He thanked the customers and staff the company had had over the past century, stressing that he tried his hardest to find a buyer.
The 71 year old said: “I’m terribly sorry that we couldn’t find a way to continue to supply quality cakes, pies and bread. We were here for as long as we were wanted by enough people.”
Wilson believes that many small businesses will suffer the same fate in this current climate.
He said: “The blizzard of advertising from large retailers means that they can manipulate public perception, most people look for what they believe to be the cheapest price and they will go to supermarkets to find it. The people voted with their feet.”