Brick House bakery, which operated from two sites in London, has shut down after eight years in business.
Founders Fergus and Sharmin Jackson decided not to reopen after Christmas as they faced the loss of both their premises – in East Dulwich and Peckham – within a few months of each other.
In a statement posted online, they said rent rises meant they had to leave East Dulwich, while landlords had decided not to renew their lease on Peckham, which is set to expire in February.
“We thought we had found a solution to move the mother-ship [East Dulwich] to new premises around the corner, but expensive and protracted negotiations combined with the timing of losing Brick House Peckham mean the numbers for us to carry on just don’t stack up,” they said.
“It’s a bitter pill to swallow, but having looked at all the options we feel like our hands are tied and this is our only option.”
“To say that we’re heartbroken would be an understatement. Over the past eight years we have poured everything in to Brick House to make it a success, and to for it to come to an end in a way that has felt very much out of our control is extremely upsetting.”
The Jacksons thanked their customers and staff for their support and commitment.
“One of the greatest parts of running Brick House has been the people we’ve met along the way, from the wholesale accounts we’ve had since we started, to the people who have worked for us and become friends, and the customers who come through the doors every day. It has been a privilege.”
The Jacksons said they did not know what they would do next, but were looking forward to spending more time together as a family and getting some rest.
In a follow-up statement, the Jacksons thanked people for the support they had received since making the original announcement.
“Realising how much Brick House was part of people’s lives, and the acknowledgment of all the hard work and commitment of the teams in both East Dulwich and Peckham has made the last few days more bearable.”
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