This week brought sad news for our community: Coughlans Bakery, a beloved family business that has served local people for an incredible 89 years, has closed its doors due to the current economic pressures facing small independent businesses. For many of us, Coughlans wasn’t just a bakery. It was part of our daily routines, our childhood memories, and the fabric of our high streets. Its closure is a stark reminder that even the most established and cherished local businesses are struggling to survive in today’s climate.
As a third‑generation family business ourselves, celebrating our 50th year, we feel this loss deeply. We understand the dedication, the long hours, the pride, and the generational commitment it takes to keep a local business going. When a business like Coughlans disappears, a piece of community history disappears with it.
This moment highlights something crucial: local businesses survive only when local people choose them. Every loaf of bread, every blind fitted, every curtain made, every coffee purchased — it all matters. It keeps jobs in the community, preserves craftsmanship, and ensures that family‑run companies can continue serving the areas they’ve supported for decades.
As we mark our own milestone year, we’re reminded how fortunate we are to still be here, still serving, still part of the community. But we don’t take that for granted. We know that longevity is earned through trust, loyalty, and the support of local people who value what independent businesses bring to their neighbourhoods.
Coughlans’ closure is a sad chapter — but it can also be a wake‑up call. If we want our high streets to thrive, we must choose local. Because once a family business is gone, it rarely comes back.
