THE last bakery to bake its own bread in York city centre is to shut up shop.

Pinder and Scott, on Shambles, will shut its doors for the final time at the end of June, and a new shop is due to open at the premises in July.

Phil Pinder and Adam Scott became the new owners of the business in April 2018. It was previously known as Via Vecchia.

Its closure will mark the end of the last bakery in the city centre which bakes its own bread on the premises, Phil said.

He has criticised City of York Council for how much they are charging for business rates on Shambles.

He said: “Sadly, the business is losing about £500 per month, and after a year of trying we have simply run out of money.

“It’s a shame we have had to take this decision, but the traditional High Street is in crisis and the powers that be are not listening – the council are the landlords, and think that rents should just keep on rising. They have a magical figure of achieving a rent of £100 per square foot for every Shambles shop, blind to the ongoing crisis affecting our High Street.”

Pinder and Scott is currently featured in Conde Nast Travel’s must-visit food places in York.

Phil, who is the chairman of York Retail Form, said: “We would like to thank all the loyal customers we have had over the years, and hope to continue welcoming them over the next few weeks.”

Nicholas Collins, head of commercial and operational asset management at City of York Council, said: “Shambles is a highly-sought-after commercial location, which continues to attract millions of tourists, and demand for the properties in the area is high.

“The council manages a significant commercial estate, the income from which helps to fund council services. Like any landlord, we aim to ensure that we achieve best value for our properties, regularly reviewing market value to make sure we achieve the right balance between rent levels and commercial viability. We are always willing to discuss individual circumstances with our tenants and work to support local business.”

No details have been disclosed about what the new shop that is taking over the premises will be.