Wolverhampton bakery chain Robinson’s has opened its fourth store, in Chapel Ash. Owned by Valencia Fine Foods, it is operating out of former Firkins Bakery sites.

The Chapel Ash shop, two miles from Wolverhampton’s city centre, is the fourth Robinson’s shop to open in 14 months. At least five permanent posts are being created with the launch of the site, with “the potential for many more” part-time positions.

Robinson’s was taken over by M Firkin Ltd in 1982 and the name gradually disappeared from the high street as it became part of Firkins. That firm went into liquidation in April 2015, but a package of shops and assets were bought by another family-run Black Country firm, Valencia Fine Foods Ltd. They re-opened three shops last year, re-employing many of the original staff.

Rob Green, operations manager, told British Baker: “Following the final demise of Firkins Bakery (formerly trading as Newbridge Bakery Ltd) under the stewardship of Oliver Adams Bakery, we acquired assets and leases to three shops to form a new West Midlands-based bakery chain.

“Our first shop was originally a Robinson’s store, so we felt it was fitting that rather than reboot Firkins we would revert to Robinson’s, and our West Bromwich shop opened in May 2015, followed by Oldbury in August 2015 and Merryhill-Penn in September 2015.”

He added that Robinson’s collection of Italian desserts alongside traditional bakery cakes, breads, sandwiches and savouries, and Black Country favourites such as hot pork cobs and faggots & peas “has been well received”.

Topics