A BAKERY is shutting its doors in Oxford with the loss of more than 40 jobs.

Bosses at the Queen of Hearts Artisan Bakery, in Sandy Lane West, Littlemore, say the firm has been losing money and can no longer trade viably.

As a result, it will close the bakery and consolidate production at its other bakery in Bradford, West Yorkshire.

Managing director Mark Rooza said: “This has been a difficult decision to make, but unfortunately the Oxford site has been making continued financial losses over the last 18 months.

“The difficult economic climate, coupled with the high cost of the premises and increasing material and energy costs, mean it is unsustainable for us to continue to operate from the site.

“To allow us to safeguard the future of the firm and to protect as many jobs as possible, we have taken the decision to consolidate operations into our existing production site in Bradford.

“There will be opportunities for some staff to relocate to our Bradford operation and we will be discussing this with them further over the coming days. For those who do not relocate, we will do everything we can to help them to find alternative employment.”

Queen of Hearts, which supplies major supermarkets and retailers including Asda and Morrisons with cakes, is part of the Cotswold Food Partnership Bakery Group and employs 43 workers.

It was started in about 1980 by Peter Chesterfield and opened retail shops around Oxford including Summertown, Headington and Cowley.

By 2002 the workforce had risen to 100 to cope with demand generated by a national contract with supermarket chain Waitrose.

But in 2005 it was taken into administration and changed hands several times since. It went into administration again in 2010 before being bought by the Cotswold group.

Mr Rooza said the bakery was likely to close by the end of June.