For the past five years, Bowen Pies has been a familiar sight on Market Street in Chorley, selling everything from meat and potato and chunky steak pies to the Lancashire favourite, butter pie.
But tomorrow, Saturday, September 26, the shutters will come down for the last time.
Owner Paul Bowen said it was not one single problem which brought about the closure, but a combination of falling footfall and rising costs which eventually made the shop unsustainable.
He said: “We’ve closed for a few reasons.
“The footfall in the town has declined massively and unfortunately the standalone store, along with the increase in employer’s National Insurance, energy bills, business rates, wages and everything else, there just isn’t enough left.
“We either put prices up, cut hours, stop taking people on or, like we’re doing here, close.
“Everything is tight. It’s a vicious circle.”
For Paul, the closure is particularly difficult because he sees the challenges facing his shop reflected across the town centre.
He estimates there are already 12 empty shops within around 200 metres of Bowen Pies, with his soon to become another.
He said: “Imagine if each shop was full and open and employing a few people.
“There’s just been a slow decline since we opened in 2021.
“It was never going to be super busy but we just had to make a decision to protect the business as a whole.
“We had to cut an arm off.”
The timing of the decision was also influenced by the shop’s lease coming up for renewal.
Continuing would have meant committing to another five years and, in the current climate, Paul said that was simply too big a risk to take.
He said: “The lease was coming up as well, so we would’ve had to lock in for five years and we can’t afford to take that risk.”
But while Market Street is closing, this is far from the end of Bowen Pies.
The family-run business, which dates back to 1994, will continue baking, with its shops at Harpers Lane in Chorley and Chorley Road in Adlington remaining open.
Behind the shopfronts is also a much larger operation, with Paul saying the company produces and delivers around 30,000 pies every week.
Paul secured a deal to supply Manchester City Football Club and Bowen Pies has now been providing pies to the club for the past five years.
Its range includes traditional meat and potato pies, chunky steak pies, steak puddings, butter pies, pasties and other savouries, while it also supplies wholesale customers and delivers orders across the country.
Paul, who appeared on BBC’s The Apprentice in 2024, said protecting that wider business had to come first.
However, he believes what is happening on Market Street should also serve as a warning about the pressures facing independent businesses more widely.
He said: “It’s not all just about me.
“The Government needs to do something drastically with the next Budget.”
And amid the disappointment of closing the shop, Paul’s message to customers is not simply to keep buying from Bowen Pies.
Instead, he wants people to support the independent bakeries and businesses which remain on their own high streets.
He said: “We appreciate all the support and would love if people can still support us.
“If you can’t use us then please use your local bakery.
“We’ve had three shut in the past three years in Chorley.
“It’s a really rough time for businesses.”
Announcing the closure, Bowen Pies thanked the people who have walked through the doors of the Market Street shop over the years.
The company said: “Thanks to all of our Market Street customers over the years, and we hope to bake for you again soon at one of our other shops.”
For Bowen Pies, the ovens will keep going.
But after five years on Market Street, tomorrow will mark the end of one chapter for the family business.
The Bolton News has contacted the Department for Business and Trade for comment.
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