END OF A CATERING ERA AS WARD'S BAKERY IN ECCLES IS SOLD

I passed the Wards Bakery shop on Barton Lane, Eccles today and saw workmen stripping the shop out, getting ready for new owners, I asked one of the workmen what the shop would be when finished... "A Chicken Shop" was the reply.

I was fond of Ward's shop not only had it been independently trading in Eccles since 1922 a staggering 101 years, surely a record for a family run business in the Borough?

The last owner was Ivor Ward who had ran the shop for 50 years, took over from his father, Thomas Frederick Ward who in turn took it over from his father and inside the shop were photographs showing them standing proudly outside the premises.

In January 2020 we presented Ivor with a Gold Seal Award for his services over the years supplying freshly baked bread, cakes, sandwiches and his famous Cheese Potato Cakes a proper delicacy.

Sadly the shop closed following the Covid outbreak, a few months after we spoke to Ivor, I know that he hoped to ride out the storm and reopen, he did hope that one of his daughters would keep the family tradition going, sadly this isn't to be.

We wish the new owners good luck with their business but hand on heart, Wards will be sorely missed by many. many people and I just wish that the shop had remained as an independent bakers.

Photo ©: SCM - Ivor Ward