Cooplands bakery goes in to administration for second time

Restructuring firm Opus, who were brought in to handle the companies debts in November last year, confirmed that the well-known high street chain had gone in administration for the second time since February 2015 earlier this month.

A spokesman said: “Alison’s Coffee Shops Limited which traded as Cooplands Bakery has gone into administration. Stephen Parker and Trevor Binyon, partners in Opus Restructuring LLP were appointed as administrators on November 2. following a period of sustained cash flow pressure.

“On the same day, 29 retail units (countrywide) were acquired by Cooplands Retail Limited. The 150 staff have been retained and the business continues trade.”

When the company first went in to administration, Cooplands’ head office and production site in Wharf Road, Doncaster closed, as well as 39 stores. In total 303 jobs were lost in the town.

The spokesman added that although they did not have a specific breakdown of the figures, they estimated that around 50 jobs had been saved in the borough across eight shops.

Stephen Parker, partner at Opus Restructuring said: “It would have been a tragedy if such a well-known local business as Cooplands had failed after being a fixture in its region ever since it was originally established in 1885. We are pleased to see it survive and continue to serve its loyal customers.”

A spokesman for Cooplands said: “We are pleased to be continuing the hard work that had gone on over the preceding two years to return Cooplands to its former glories.

“An entirely new product range is on sale and an ever increasing percentage of products is made in house at the original bakery of Cooplands in Doncaster.

“Customers are returning and sales are increasing once more.”