Brick House bakery is closing due to high rents!

Super sad news for Peckham and East Dulwich - locals favourite Brick House Bread bakery is closing down. Over the Christmas period owners Fergus and Sharmin Jackson shared a post on Instagram explaining that ‘a crippling rent increase’ has forced them to close their Brick House Bread branches in both East Dulwich and Peckham.

Brick House Bread first opened in 2011 as a wholesale bakery in Peckham selling homemade sourdough bread, their East Dulwich bakery opened in 2012. Both bakeries quickly became hugely popular with locals, which gained the bakery a loyal following of cafe regulars.

The news has stirred up quite a response, as owners Fergus and Sharmin Jackson explain that this decision was forced upon them due to their East Dulwich landlords increasing their rent which they say means ‘ the numbers for us to carry on just don’t stack up’. Their landlords in Peckham which own the Brick House Bread bakery site next to Peckham Rye station have decided not to renew their lease which expires in February.

These sudden closures of the much loved South East London bakeries has raised a lot of questions about what might happen to our high streets if small independent businesses can no longer afford the ever increasing rents. If they dare open a Starbucks in the space……

Fergus and Sharmin Jackson, owners of Brick House Bread Bakery full Instagram post below:

We have some sad news. It is with very heavy hearts that Sharm and I have to announce that we have decided not to re-open Brick House after Christmas. This may come as quite a shock, but behind the scenes we have found ourselves in the unfortunate situation of facing the loss of both of our premises within a couple of months of each other. A crippling rent increase is forcing us out of East Dulwich, and our landlords in Peckham have decided not to re-new our lease when it expires in February. We thought that we had found a solution to move the mother-ship to a new premise around the corner, but expensive and protracted negotiations combined with the timing of losing BH Peckham mean the numbers for us to carry on just don't stack up. It's a bitter pill to swallow but having looked at all the options we feel like our hands are tied and this is our only option. To say that we're heartbroken would be an understatement. Over the past 8 years we have poured everything in to Brick House to make it a success, and to for it to come to an end in a way that has felt very much out of our control is extremely upsetting. As for what's next, we don't really know. As anyone working in hospitality will tell you, this business is hard and involves lots of personal sacrifice, so we are looking forward to spending a bit more time together as a family and getting some rest. We would like to thank our customers and staff past and present for their support and commitment. One of the greatest parts of running Brick House has been the people we've met along the way, from the wholesale accounts we've had since we started, to the people who have worked for us and become friends, and the customers who come though the doors every day. It's been a privilege. Thank you, and please stay in touch. Fergus & Sharmin

1,945 Likes, 850 Comments - Brick House ED (@brickhousebread) on Instagram: "We have some sad news. It is with very heavy hearts that Sharm and I have to announce that we have..."