PAUL closes at Parkway

French patisserie employed 10 staff

PAUL in Newbury’s Parkway Shopping centre has closed.

The French patisserie, which employed 10 members of staff, closed on Sunday.

A sign on the door states: “We are sorry to announce that this shop has permanently closed.”

Paul opened in Newbury in 2015 and was only the second bakery in the chain to be opened outside London in the UK.

PAUL UK operations director Gary Cowles said: “While the site has traded well, we have decided to close our Newbury bakery.

“This has not been an easy decision, but a commercial one taken for the greater good of the business to help strengthen the existing estate in the long term.

“We thank our shop team for their hard work and the Newbury community for their continuous support.

“The PAUL estate continues to perform well, with a strategic roll-out in the pipeline for the new Express concept, further regional openings and the on-going development of our product range and central bakery.

“Newbury team members have been offered opportunities to remain within the PAUL family. No further closures are planned.”

The closure of PAUL follows the closure of Parkway florist and wine seller Draco. The shop opened in February but a sign on the vacant shop says that it is relocating to London.