Exclusive: Flor Bakery in Bermondsey will close in December

Flor Bakery in Bermondsey will close at the end of November after almost a year of trading.

In a statement sent to CODE, the Flor team said the decision was ‘heartbreaking’ but added that ‘it will give us time to work out what the future holds’.

The bakery and wine shop opened in Spa Terminus late last year and was founded by the chef James Lowe in partnership with bakers Helen Evans – who has a new project on the horizon – and Florin Grama.

It replaced the hit restaurant of the same name in Borough Market, using flours milled on site and from ‘trusted farmers’ to create inventive and resourceful breads and pastries.

With a ‘commitment to supporting more resilient agricultural practices’, products were sold as a subscription and delivery service to consumers and leading restaurants, and online.

Flor has also been open to the public, as a shop and cafe, on Fridays and Saturdays, selling coffee, sourdough breads, sausage rolls, and croissants, as well as Danishes, tarts and cookies of varying flavour and design.

The bakery’s closure comes during a difficult time for hospitality, with staffing shortages, energy price rises, and spiralling food costs among numerous challenges facing the industry.

The statement added: ‘We’re so proud of the quality of bread and viennoiserie that Helen and our bakers have produced in the last 12 months. The decision to source all of our organic wheats and long-straw grains from British smallholdings has been a wonderfully challenging and hugely rewarding experience.

‘Working with these amazing farmers and millers has helped us generate flavours that have consistently exceeded our expectations and we look forward to finding new ways of working with them in the future.

‘We want to say an enormous thank you to all the talented bakers, chefs and baristas that put so much into the bakery – it’s been a time of constant changes and learning and we are so grateful for your efforts.’

Staff at Flor also wanted to encourage customers to visit before its final day on Saturday 26 November.

‘We are sorry to let down so many wonderful regulars, those that have supported us and queued regularly come rain or shine, we have appreciated it so much, thank you. We hope that you can wait until next year, as Helen will be opening a new project in Dulwich come spring.’

The bakery will be missed in southeast London.

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