STAFF at a troubled bakery business in Okehampton are celebrating the news that their business has new owners.

Steven and Nicola Thomas bought Endacotts Bakery from previous owner Nick Gould on March 1.

Mr Thomas paid tribute to the staff who had kept the business going despite being owed wages.

‘We are so lucky to have the staff we have,’ he said. ‘Without them, it wouldn’t be a business. Their loyalty to Endacotts has been incredible and it has given us a really solid foundation for the future.’

Mr Thomas said he and his wife would improve pay and conditions for staff and honour debts to existing staff, with responsibility for pay and pensions transferred under TUPE (Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment)) legislation.

The couple have bought the assets of the business, which was in the process of being put into administration.

‘We took over managing the business at the start of December and it wasn’t part of the plan to buy it then, but we soon saw the potential that Nick Gould didn’t see,’ he said. ‘The company was basically being put into administration, and we bought the assets of the business and started trading on March 1 with a big helping of ice and snow.

‘We are maintaining the two shops in Okehampton and the wholesale side, so we are getting things back to normal. We are looking to recruit staff, including pastry chefs, shop assistants, bakers and bakery assistants. We’ll be looking to take on some apprentices in the fullness of time.

‘We are very excited. In the first few weeks we were here, it was turbulent times because of the restrictions in how we were having to manage the business, but what we could see was the tremendous potential of what was here and how quickly it can be turned around. It will be a very good business, and there are lots and lots of plans for it.’

Endacotts Bakery hit the headlines back in November when it was revealed that the entire workforce of around 30 had not been paid their wages for the month of October.

Staff reported that problems with paying their wages started back in April, three months after Nick Gould, based at Long Sutton in Somerset, bought the business in January last year from previous owners Michael and Ann Finucane.

On January 4, an employment tribunal sitting at Exeter Crown Court ordered W T Endacott Ltd, then still owned by Nick Gould, to pay £1,427.58 to an employee, Adam Cullen.

Mr Thomas confirmed that all staff still working for the company would receive the wages they are still owed.

‘Effectively we have TUPE-ed over our commitment to the staff. We will be meeting the wages of those who come across with us,’ he said. ‘We’ll also be improving the employment terms and conditions. There’ll be increases in what people are paid, because a lot of people haven’t had an increase in wages for some time. Secondly, there’ll be a benefits package in place, which again will be straight away, to give people some security for the future and if they are not very well.’

He said staff had kept the business going during ‘turbulent times’ over the past year.

Heather Johns, whose partner Chris Ball works at Endacotts, said the sale was ‘fantastic news’.

We are hoping that things will sort themselves out now,’ she said. ‘It has been a nightmare, we are just so pleased that it has all gone through and we are keeping our fingers crossed that it all works out for everybody.’

Mr Gould declined to comment on the sale.