Coughlans Bakeries liquidates, sells 25 stores to Janes Bakery

Coughlans Bakeries Limited has sold the majority of its business and certain assets to Janes Bakery Limited following its entry into creditors’ voluntary liquidation, paving the way for 25 of its 31 former locations to reopen under new ownership.

Paul Bailey and Kirren Keegan of BABR were appointed joint liquidators of Coughlans on 15 July 2026. The sale to Janes Bakery completed on 5 August.

Coughlans had traded since 1937 but ceased operations on 1 July, resulting in the redundancy of more than 170 employees. The transaction gives 25 former Coughlans sites the opportunity to resume trading, although the Coughlans name was excluded from the sale.

Janes Bakery, an independent bakery and café operator founded in 1971, currently operates multiple outlets across Gloucestershire and sells bread, cakes, pastries and other baked goods. BABR said the purchaser is independent of Coughlans’ former owners.

Janes plans to reopen viable stores under its own brand and invite former Coughlans employees to reapply for positions as operations restart. The liquidators said the deal has the potential to create a substantial number of employment opportunities, although the transaction does not itself preserve the jobs lost when Coughlans ceased trading.

“From the outset of our appointment, our objective was to secure a purchaser capable of reopening as many locations as possible and preserving employment opportunities where circumstances allowed,” Bailey said. He added that the transaction gives 25 former locations the opportunity to trade again and could allow a significant number of former employees to secure new roles.

David Davies, chief executive of Janes Bakery, said the company intends to “move quickly but responsibly” to reopen viable shops under the Janes name and welcome applications from former Coughlans staff.