'It breaks our hearts to say goodbye': Northern Ireland bakery shuts its doors after just three years

A Northern Ireland seaside bakery chain, The Singing Kettle Bakery, has announced the closure of its Ballyree Drive store in Bangor after just three years of trading.

Wesley Nelson, the founder of the bakery, shared the difficult decision with the community, citing the ongoing challenges of rising costs, low foot traffic, and the struggle of ‘being the only shop open in the area’.

Mr Nelson, who established The Singing Kettle Bakery in Bangor 18 years ago, expanded the business with two more stores in 2021 and 2024. Despite his efforts, the Ballyree Drive location was unable to sustain itself in the face of diminishing customer visits. Nelson wrote with deep sadness: "We have tried everything to make it work, but unfortunately, this closure has become inevitable."

The closure announcement was made on the bakery’s Facebook page, where Mr Nelson explained: “This is a post we never wanted to write. It is with deep sadness that we have to announce the closure of our Ballyree Drive bakery.

“Despite our best efforts to keep this little shop going, the lack of footfall and the reality of often being the only shop open in the area have made it impossible to sustain. We have tried everything to make it work, but unfortunately, this closure has become inevitable.

“To our loyal customers – thank you. Your support over the years has meant everything to us. It breaks our hearts to say goodbye, but we are so grateful for every visit, every purchase, and every kind word.

"Small businesses like ours can only survive with the support of the community. The reality is, if people don’t shop local, more businesses will be forced to close. Use it or lose it has never been more true.”

Calling on the local community to support the other two stores, he added: “We hope to see you supporting our High Street and Church Street stores. Let’s go out with a bang!”

The final day of trading for the Ballyree Drive bakery is this Saturday (March 8).

This shop is the latest casualty in a string of closures hitting the seaside town following the end of The Joxer and The Goat’s Toe in january as well as Betty Blacks in September and Shirley & Ted's Takeaway last month after only eight months.