One of Cornwall's best known bakeries has announced it will shut two of its shops at the end of this month.

It has been revealed today (Wednesday, 27 September) that Warren’s Bakery in Truro (Victoria Square) and Helston (Meneage Street) will close for good at the end of September.  

Warren’s Bakery, which claims to be 'Cornwall's oldest bakery' and the oldest Cornish pasty producer globally, also has shops in Falmouth, St Ives, Newquay, Redruth and Penzance that wil remain open. 

However, it said both Helston and Truro Warrens have failed to make a profit and will now close permanently.

Paul Denham, retail director for Warren’s Bakery told the Packet: “As a growing retailer across Cornwall and other counties, we continuously assess our sites for ongoing profitability and viability. Occasionally, when long-term leases end, we face very challenging decisions.

“Regrettably, on this occasion, two stores (Truro Victoria Square and Helston) will close at the end of this month, having been unprofitable for some time.  Wherever possible, we will transition our employees to other stores throughout Cornwall.

“In contrast to these challenging decisions, we continue to invest heavily and rebrand profitable stores throughout Cornwall, as well as in Devon and Somerset.

“In addition to this, we have recently opened two new stores in Barnstaple and Dartmouth.  Additionally, we have plans to open further West Country stores in the next six months, while we are pursuing new initiatives in Cornwall, our heartland.

“Our employment figures continue to rise year on year, and we maintain a positive outlook for further profitable growth as a business.”

Warrens Bakery closed its factory in St Just in 2019 saying it was “no longer economically viable,” with the remote location a factor. 

At that time it also said it was consulting on the closure of a number of “loss-making shops” in order to “safeguard the future of the wider business.”

While the factory has been there since the 1970s, Warrens has been baking from St Just since 1860, when two families joined together to make pasties, bread and scones.

Since then the business has spread all over Cornwall and has extended nationally, with 70 branches across the UK including Gatwick and Bristol airports.