Oddie's: Burnley and Pendle bakery issues update amid sale rumours
Rumours have been swirling about the sale of an iconic Burnley and Pendle bakery thought to have closed its doors for good.
Oddie’s has now issued an update about its fate amid the sale rumours.
It comes after a poster went up in the Oddie’s shop in St James's Street in Burnley town centre, suggesting it would reopen on Tuesday, March 11th, and linking it to another long-established bakery.
That bakery is Waterfield’s, an award-winning business selling pastries like pies, pasties, and sausage rolls, and cream cakes like flans, iced buns and doughnuts. Waterfield’s was established in 1926 and has 36 shops across the North West.
An Oddie’s spokesperson said: “"Oddie's is working with Waterfield’s in the hope of reaching a deal on certain sites. Until the process is complete, we’re unable to share further details on the specific properties or anticipated reopening dates. More information will follow once the process is finalised."
What’s the story behind Waterfield’s?
Like Oddie’s, Waterfield’s is a business that has stretched across several generations of a family. During the general strike of 1926, Alice Waterfield set up a small bakery in Mather Lane, Leigh, selling pies and confectionery to the local factory workers. As the reputation grew, so did business and soon her husband Albert joined Alice to work in the bakery. He left his job as a coal miner, after taking his qualifications in baking at Manchester Technical College where he studied at night after a day spent down the pit.
Their daughter Hilda supervised the cake decorating department and later moved on to retail supervision. Albert Jnr, who joined the firm in 1956 after army service, was later to become Managing Director in 1961, following the death of his father.
In 1984, the business had expanded to such an extent that there was a requirement to move the bakery again, this time to Manchester Road, Leigh.
It was around then that the third generation, Richard and John Waterfield, became involved in the management of the business, having spent several years both in the UK and Europe developing skills in the art of baking.