Portchester bakery La Boulangerie closes after 42 years of baking success due to illness

Portchester bakery, La Boulangerie, has sadly announced that it will not be reopening after one of the owners, Roy Drake, was diagnosed with terminal cancer before Christmas.

The family run business has been running since 1980 and it has served the community well throughout it’s 42 years, making their mark for years to come.

Roy, 70, was diagnosed with terminal lung cancer that is in both lungs and has spread to his lymph nodes, at the end of November, and had his first round of chemotherapy a few days before Christmas day.

The 70-year-old knew he wanted to be a baker when he left school and worked in various bakeries, but always had the thought of opening his dream business in the back of his mind.

He said: ‘I worked in bakeries for years and it was always in the back of my mind simmering away and I thought ‘I can do that’ and we sold our house to raise the money and got money from the bank, and with 18 hour days, it has all become very good – A very good business, only to be forced out of it by circumstances out of our control.

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‘We had to make the agonising decision to close the business down. Nine staff members were made redundant, me and my wife lost our jobs, all on Christmas eve.

‘It will be a sad loss to Portchester. I am just echoing what local people have said.’

The business has been at the heart of the family for the past four decades and they had to come to the difficult decision not to reopen their doors after the Christmas period, and the business is up for sale.

Kelly Drake, Roy’s daughter, said: ‘I think he is quite humbled as well because all they wanted to do was have a nice quality bakery that made fresh produce everyday and actually that was what he wanted to do from the age of 15 and I think what he has achieved is amazing and people will talk about it for years to come and he has left a little legacy and that is really nice.’

The bakery has been a thriving business for years and it has seen Roy’s daughter and son both work there during their lifetime before moving on to their own careers.

Roy is receiving palliative care and the doctors have told the family that he has between six months and two years to live.

The bakery has been a staple to Portchester’s businesses and it has got a huge following of loyal customers who have been saddened at the news of the closure, but they continue to support the family by offering them their well wishes during this difficult time.

La Boulangerie was established on July 4, 1980, and has been offering people freshly made treats for over 42 years, but it will bidding farewell to everyone in the area.

Roy said: ‘It has been a thriving business for many many years, we have worked hard and enjoyed the income and to have to close – It is devastating, it really is.

‘We are completely overwhelmed with the support we have received.’