York cake shop won’t be reopening

A cake shop in the city centre has closed for good.

There’s a note in the window in Patisserie Valerie in the Coppergate Centre which makes it clear it will not reopen.

The note is from the Coppergate Centre and says the company needs to come in and clear out its fixtures and fittings.

Cake lovers don’t have to go far to find their fix though – the branch on Feasegate is expected to reopen.

A Coppergate Centre spokesperson said: “Patisserie Valerie’s lease in the Coppergate Centre ended during lockdown, and it has not been renewed.

“However, we do not expect the unit to be vacant for long, as we have had significant interest in this key location.”

Fraud investigation

Long before the coronavirus, Patisserie Valerie was in trouble.

Five people were arrested and questioned over alleged accounting fraud at the chain, the Serious Fraud Office confirmed last year.

It was put up for sale in 2019 after collapsing following the discovery of allegedly fraudulent activity in its accounts.

It has been bought out of administration by an Irish private equity firm, safeguarding nearly 2,000 jobs.