Romesh Ranganathan has expressed devastation after the 89-year-old bakery chain he co-owns, Coughlans Bakery, ceased trading following record-breaking June heatwaves that the managing director called the 'nail in the coffin'.
Bakery chain enters voluntary liquidation
The comedian, 48, who became a co-owner in 2024, described himself as 'gutted' after the family-run business, founded in 1937, went into voluntary liquidation. In a Facebook video, managing director Sean Coughlan announced the closure, attributing it to a combination of soaring costs and extreme weather.
Coughlan stated that the Government's increase in national insurance contributions for employers in April 2025, coupled with high business rates and rising fuel prices due to the Middle East conflict, added an extra £20,000 per week to the company's expenses. The heatwave in June 2026, which brought record-breaking temperatures, caused a 50% drop in revenue as customers stayed home, ultimately making the business unsustainable.
Ranganathan's reaction and tribute
Ranganathan reposted Coughlan's video on Instagram with the caption: 'Gutted isn't the word.' In the video, Coughlan praised the Bafta-winning comedian, saying, 'Romesh has been amazing, I want to thank him so much. I feel like we’ve absolutely let him down. Everything he’s done, its been from the heart.' Coughlan added, 'He’s devastated. None of us saw this coming. We were looking forward to working together. We had so much fun.'
Ranganathan had actively supported the bakery, designing a vegan treat called the Ranga Yum Yum, with 10p from each sale donated to the mental health charity Calm, for which he is an ambassador. He even worked behind the counter last year to celebrate the launch, drawing a large queue outside the Surrey shop, which he joked was a better crowd than his comedy gigs.
Impact on staff and suppliers
Coughlans Bakery, which operated shops in London, Kent, Surrey, and West Sussex, entered voluntary liquidation to ensure payment to staff and suppliers. Coughlan described the closure as 'absolutely heartbreaking' after nearly nine decades of operation, saying, 'None of us saw this coming.'
