Eight Aulds stores escape axe

More than 100 jobs have been lost from the collapse of the Aulds bakery shops business although eight stores are to remain open after a deal with liquidators.

The stores being kept on by the Aulds group will save 75 jobs out of the 180 employed when liquidators were appointed last month. The remaining 18 stores have now closed with total job losses of 105.

Alan Marr, managing director of Aulds, said: “It goes without saying that we deeply regret the jobs lost and do not underestimate the impact that will have on the individuals involved and their families. We only embarked on this course of action after exhausting every other possibility, but we were simply unable to sustain the losses being made by the retail business.”

Marr said he was “extremely pleased” that 75 jobs have been saved and that the Aulds brand will remain on the high street. The response and support from our customers has been very encouraging and we’d like to thank them for their loyalty during a difficult period for our business,” he said.

Joint liquidators from RSM Restructuring Advisory were appointed to the group’s retail arm, Thomas Auld & Sons Limited, in early August in the wake of difficulties with increasing ingredient, distribution and wage costs over several years. The business was formally closed on Wednesday.

The stores remaining open are in the St Enoch Centre in Glasgow, Hamilton Way, Brisbane Street and West Stewart Street in Greenock, Kempock Street in Gourock, High Street in Johnstone, Aitken Street in Largs and The Piazza in Paisley.

Aulds will also continue to operate its two other companies, Aulds Bakeries, which manufactures bakery products, and Aulds Delicious Desserts at Inchinnan. Some 200 jobs at those sites have been unaffected.