Long-established Fife baker puts shops up for sale

Stuart’s Bakers and Butchers has told staff of its plans - and the branches affected remain open for business.

The shops going on the market include High Street, Kirkcaldy; Methilhaven Road, Methil; and Bonnygate in Cupar.

A fourth store, in the Glamis Centre, Glenrothes, is rented and the lease will not be renewed.

But the company said if the premises don’t find buyers, it will keep the shops open.

Keith Stuart, managing director, said: “The business has been moving in a different direction for a number of years.

“We supply a lot of independent convenience stores, and our shops which were in the right locations 20-30 years ago, no longer are because people’s shopping habits have changed.”

He said putting the shops on the market was a difficult decision given their long history.

Stuart’s has operated out of Methilhaven Road and Kirkcaldy town centre since 1950, while Cupar has been p[art of its footprint since the 1960s.

“These are not easy decisions to make,” he added.

“If they do not sell, we will keep them open and keep trading at them. Only Pitteuchar is closing and we are trying tto sub let it.”

Pre-COVID, Stuart;s had a network of 16 branches across Fife.

It sold almost half of them during the pandemic, and the streamlining of the business continues with the decision to put more on the market,

Staff will be redeployed.

Stuart’s Bakery was established in 1857 beginning its operations in Buckhaven.