SHOPPERS have been left devastated after a bakery has confirmed an unexpected closure.
Wenzel’s Bakery confirmed it has closed a store in Southend High Street bakery on January 21 and it has taken locals by surprise.
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Wenzels which served its first loaf in 1975, now has over 100 locations across the UK.
With a menu that rivals bakery giant Greggs, the bakery serves rolls, sandwiches and cakes.
The bakery confirmed the store closure on X, formerly known as Twitter: “Our Southend High Street closed on Sunday.”
The reason for the sudden closure has not been confirmed.
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The Southend Wenzel’s branch had only been open for two years, opening in May 2022.
Pastry fans will now have to travel to Wenzel’s next nearest store on Prince Avenue, in Westcliff to get their flour fix.
Locals were devastated online taking to Facebook to share their disappointment.
One Facebook user said: “[The] country has totally gone to pot.”
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Another said: “Can’t believe it.”
“Such as shame much better than Greggs,” said a third user.
Someone else claimed: “That was my favourite baker.”
Many restaurant chains have been struggling to get by over the past few years.
Energy costs have risen and more shoppers are choosing to conveniently order online rather than head into stores.
This has left some retailers grappling with tighter budgets and having no choice but to close some stores to cut costs.
Smaller businesses have found it particularly hard to stay afloat.
Another bakery in Kent announced it will be closing four out of its five stores in operation.
Cheran’s Bakery abruptly shut all of its branches except one due to rising rents and bills.
The Sun exclusively revealed that another fast food favourite with over 500 locations Papa Johns, plans to close dozens of branches as it “optimises” its operations.
Taco Bell who hasn’t been on the scene long pulled down the shutters on a drive-thru restaurant in Aberdeen.
Patisserie Valerie has already closed 170 branches in the past few months.
Costa Coffee is due to shut two cafes but the end of this month.
Even Wetherspoon has struggled to brace the storm with 40 pubs closing down last and as many as 20 preparing to shut this year.
It seems rival Greggs has bit been struggling like its competitor.
The bakery giant announces plans to open between 140 and 160 new branches within the next year.
Greggs also plans to continue rolling out evening opening hours across specific stores to make things easier for customers.
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