It managed to survive two World Wars and several recessions, but 112-year-old Welsh bakery chain Ecclestons Confectioners closed its doors for the last time earlier this month, following the retirement of the company’s owner David Eccleston.

The 73-year-old decided to close down the business, which comprises 10 retail shops across Wrexham, Llangollen, Bala, Corwen, Chirk and Oswestry and a bakery in Coedpoeth, after failing to find a buyer and with no one in the family willing to take it on.

“My son worked as general manager in the bakery, but he has his own business interests,” Eccleston told the local newspaper. “I also have five daughters, but if I had five sons it is possible one of them might have wanted to take it over.

“There is also the fact that, in the present economic climate, people are finding it difficult to borrow money from the banks and it is hard to buy any business, so we are just closing down.”

A dozen full-time staff and 30 part-timers have been made redundant.

The business was set up in 1898 by David Eccleston’s father Arthur Eccleston and has since been run by four generations of the family.

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