Romesh Ranganathan 'gutted' as his South East bakery chain shuts down

Comedian Romesh Ranganathan has said he is "gutted" after the 89-year-old bakery chain he part-owns shut down.

Coughlans Bakery – which operates a chain of shops across Kent, Surrey, West Sussex and south London – announced it had ceased trading on Tuesday after it went into voluntary liquidation.

Ranganathan, best known for his deadpan stage style, became its co-owner in 2024, describing it as "the partnership of the century".

Managing director Sean Coughlan blamed the closure on the government's decision to increase national insurance contributions for employers in April last year, along with high business rates.

Posting on social media, he described the rates as having "absolutely smashed local business".

He added that, combined with the spike in fuel prices following recent conflict in the Middle East, had cost the company an extra £20,000 a week.

Romesh Ranganathan works in his local branch of Coughlans.

Coughlan said Ranganathan, who is vegan and initially became a supporter of the business because of its range of plant-based products, had been "amazing".

"I feel like we've absolutely let him down. Everything he's done, it's been from the heart," he added.

Crawley-born Ranganathan reposted Coughlan's video to his 1.4m followers online, with the caption: "Gutted isn't the word."

Customers formed a large queue when Ranganathan appeared behind the counter of Coughlans Bakery on Dorking High Street last year

Josie Smith, who works near the bakery's Crawley branch, said she was "really sad" about the closure.

"It brings a lot of people together," she told BBC Radio Sussex.

"It is a massive shame to see them go. I'm going to miss sitting here on my lunch and buying some goodies."

"The staff are really friendly, dedicated to their jobs, [and] always making you happy," said Smith's colleague Kaitlin Stinton.

Coughlan added the recent heatwaves - which saw the south east of England swelter in temperatures of 35C - were the "nail in the coffin" for the firm.

He said that "no-one really seemed to come out" during the hot weather, meaning the business made about 50% of its normal weekly takings.

All the outgoings remained "exactly the same", meanwhile.

Coughlan said the bakery went into voluntary liquidation to ensure it could still pay suppliers and employees.

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