The owner of GG Bakery has announced the business will close, blaming an ‘unsustainable’ trading environment despite strong backing from customers and the local community.

Jack Griffiths confirmed the decision in an emotional statement shared on social media last night after what he described as ‘many months of trying to make things work’.

The bakery owner said rising overheads and increasing pressures facing independent businesses had made it impossible to continue trading, while the recent arrival of his newborn son had also caused him to reconsider the need for financial stability for his family.

In the statement, Mr Griffiths said: ‘This is the post every business owner hopes they’ll never have to write.

‘After many months of trying to make things work, countless sleepless nights, and a lot of difficult conversations, I’ve made the heartbreaking decision to close GG Bakery.’

He added: ‘With the recent arrival of my newborn son, it’s made me reflect a lot on the need for stability and providing for my family, and as painful as this decision is, I know it’s the responsible one to make.’

He opened the Michael Street bakery back in August 2024.

Mr Griffiths stressed the closure was not due to a lack of customer support, praising the loyalty shown by the community during the bakery’s time in business.

He said: ‘The hardest part is that this isn’t happening because the bakery wasn’t supported. The community showed up for us, and I’ll always be grateful for every customer who came through the door, bought something from us, or just simply stopped by for a chat.’

However, he warned that rising costs were making survival increasingly difficult for small independent firms.

‘The reality is that overheads continue to rise, and many small independent businesses are being left to carry impossible pressures with very little meaningful support,’ he said.

‘It’s becoming harder and harder for local businesses to survive, even when they have loyal customers behind them.’

Mr Griffiths also reflected on the wider challenges facing independent traders on the Isle of Man and beyond, saying many high streets were losing the businesses that once gave them character.

He said: ‘You only have to look around to see local high streets slowly losing the independent businesses that once gave them life.’

Despite confirming the closure, GG Bakery has not yet announced a final trading date, with Mr Griffiths saying the business would continue operating for the time being, particularly with the TT period approaching.

He added: ‘At the moment we haven’t set a final trading date, especially with TT just around the corner, but we will keep everyone updated once a decision has been made.’

Closing the statement, Mr Griffiths thanked customers for their support over the past two years and suggested the bakery’s closure reflected wider economic pressures facing small businesses.

‘The sad truth is that small businesses rarely disappear because people stop caring. More often, they disappear because the environment around them becomes impossible to survive in,’ he said.

‘This isn’t goodbye forever, just the end of this chapter.’