Tavistock pasty shop confirms closure after ‘continuing financial pressure’
A familiar name on Tavistock's high street has shut its doors alongside a Plymouth branch, after falling sales, rising costs and mounting financial pressures
A well-loved pasty shop has closed its Tavistock and Plymouth branches after a prolonged period of financial difficulties, bringing an end to its presence on both high streets.
The Original Pasty House confirmed that both shops ceased trading on Wednesday, November 4, with the company telling The Moorlander that insolvency specialists had been “instructed to assist with placing the business into liquidation.”
A visit to the West Street premises on Thursday (November 5) found the shop closed, with removal vehicles outside.
The closure came as a surprise to some customers, with people working and living nearby telling The Moorlander they had ordered from the shop as recently as Wednesday evening (November 4) and had not expected it to close.
Some were already wondering where they would turn for their usual lunch.
In its statement to The Moorlander, The Original Pasty House described a prolonged period of difficult trading, with falling turnover and rising operating costs making it increasingly difficult to keep the business going.
The company reported a particularly sharp decline in Plymouth, where turnover between April and September fell by 67.4 per cent between 2023 and 2026.
It attributed much of this to disruption caused by the Armada Way tree felling and subsequent redevelopment, which it said affected pedestrian access and reduced passing footfall.
The company said sales had improved following the reopening of Armada Way in July, but the recovery had not been enough to reverse the decline.
Turnover between July and September remained 61.2 per cent below the same period in 2023.
In Tavistock, turnover between April and September also fell, dropping by 26 per cent over the same three-year period.
The business also cited pressure on household budgets and more cautious consumer spending as contributing factors across both locations.
“Alongside falling sales, both branches faced substantial increases in the costs of materials and ingredients, labour, energy and business rates,” the statement said.
The Plymouth branch was also facing a “significant increase in rent”, further squeezing already tight margins.
Attempts were made to keep the business afloat, including reducing staffing levels, simplifying the product range and tightening purchasing and waste controls.
“Director-sourced finance supported continued trading while management hoped for a recovery,” Pasty House said.
However, these measures ultimately proved insufficient to sustain both branches.
Castle Hill Insolvency has been instructed to assist with placing the company into liquidation.
In its statement, the business thanked employees for their commitment and customers for their support during what it described as a "prolonged and difficult period".