STORY: Award-winning bakery has debts written off

Sandersons in Ramsgreave, Lancashire has had almost £2,500 in unpaid business rates written off.

The loss-making bakery had been forced to close up shop in October, six years after a rescue deal offered hopes of a way forward.

The rescue deal, which happened on 2013, meant jobs were saved. This came against a backdrop of creditors, including HMRC, being owed £256,000.

Sandersons bounced back and scooped a series of prizes in the 2016 British Pie Awards, (including the best in the vegetarian class for its sweet potato and lentil bake and commendations for its spinach & mushroom, chicken & chorizo and cheese & potato pies).

Its game pie was also supplied to The Ivy restaurant in London.

But its troubles returned when the administrators were called in for a second time about a year later. Insolvency experts said they had no choice but to close the bakery, which started life in 1930.

Director of resources Mark Edmondson said: “There are some cases where debtors simply leave their property with arrears or are declared bankrupt, insolvent or cease trading. This is a case where a company has gone into administration and we need to write off this debt.”