Clayton Park Bakery plans to more than double its manufacturing capacity through the development of a new 60,000 sq ft production facility in Clayton-le-Moors, Lancashire.
The £10m project will be funded by parent company James Hall & Co., with construction and conversion work scheduled for completion in autumn 2027. The investment will support the bakery’s long-term growth strategy, strengthen operational capacity and help it respond to changing food and drink consumer trends.
The new facility will occupy a former warehouse directly opposite Clayton Park Bakery’s existing 20,000 sq ft plant on Petre Road. Once completed, the expanded footprint will provide additional space for production, improve workflow and create greater scope for future investment in food processing technology.
Barry Thomas established Clayton Park Bakery in 1995, initially making sausage rolls and meat pies for sale from his family’s market stall three days each week. After demand increased, the company moved into its Petre Road factory in 2005. It subsequently secured supply agreements with sports clubs across the North West, alongside cafés, independent retailers, schools, hospitals and regional outlets operated by Booths, Spar and Asda.
The bakery now produces more than eight million items each year. Its portfolio includes bread, morning goods, fresh cream cakes, ambient confectionery, pies and a broad selection of savoury products. Key products include the Potato & Butter Pie, described as “something of a Preston classic”, as well as the Cheese & Jalapeno Pasty, Pork & Chorizo Pie and Cumberland Style Deli Sausage Roll.
Clayton Park Bakery became part of James Hall & Co. in 2011. Two years later, the group invested in a second 20,000 sq ft facility in nearby Huncoat. Together, the two sites employ more than 200 full-time workers.
The latest expansion reflects wider food manufacturing trends, including the need for producers to increase capacity, modernise equipment and improve efficiency while maintaining product quality. It also highlights the importance of investment in food and drink industry innovation as manufacturers respond to changing customer requirements and evolving food distribution trends.
“It is over a decade since our last major expansion, and the time was right to expand again as we have outgrown the existing Huncoat site and need to keep up with customer demand,” commented founder and MD Thomas. “This move will help us streamline our current morning goods and bread operation while enabling us to invest in technology and improve our efficiency.”
James Hall & Co. is a fifth-generation family-owned business headquartered in Preston and ranks among Lancashire’s largest private-sector employers. The company serves as Spar UK’s principal retailer, wholesaler and distributor across the North of England. It also operates as a significant food manufacturer through a group of brands that includes Clayton Park Bakery, Fazila Foods, Ann Forshaw’s Alston Dairy and Graham Eyes High Quality Butchers.
The group’s extensive Preston depot includes a dedicated production operation. This division manufactures Clayton Park Kitchen-branded home replacement meals, raw and cooked meat products, bacon and fresh sandwiches.
The investment also positions Clayton Park Bakery to respond to broader food and beverage industry trends, from demand for convenient prepared foods to the continued evolution of food and drink packaging, food and drink marketing and food and drink sustainability. As the company expands, its ability to improve production efficiency and support supply across multiple customer channels will remain central to its growth. Its operations will also continue to reflect the food and drink regulations governing safety, quality and product information across the sector.