Glasgow cafe owner speaks out after Mortons Rolls collapses

Reece Carlyle says he was forced to close his Govan and Clydebank businesses for two days after being left without deliveries.

He has hit out at the company after paying £120 for goods he claims never arrived.

In a letter to staff on Friday, the firm told employees that they would be "laid off with immediate effect".

The Drumchapel-based bakery, which employs about 250 people, says that "no final decision" has been taken on redundancies, but has admitted that "all jobs are at risk".

Reece, who runs Carlyle’s cafes in Govan and Clydebank as well as Carlyle’s Fine Foods butchers, exclusively told the Glasgow Times: “The way the firm have treated customers and staff is nothing short of disgraceful.

“I’ve been using Mortons Rolls for a number of years and paid £120 on Friday for produce, only to discover later that day they had stopped trading. 

“The weekend is our busiest period, and I was left in a position where I had no rolls or cakes for customers. I had to make the difficult decision to close while I scrambled around to find another supplier.

“I was also left without any potato scones for the breakfast packs we deliver at the butchers and had to run around supermarkets to buy them.

“I’m appalled at how this has been handled by the company. It has cost me over £1000 in takings."

Reece Carlyle (Image: Newsquest)

Companies House states on its website that there is an "active proposal to strike off" the firm, whose accounts for the year to March 31, 2022 were required to be filed by December 31 and are now overdue.

The Glasgow Times has viewed the letter sent to staff on Friday, which says: "The company is ceasing to trade with immediate effect.

"The directors have taken steps to ensure that the business can continue in some form, but it is likely that this will be with a reduced workforce across the business."

Mortons Rolls factory currently appears to have been mothballed, with a number of delivery vans sitting behind locked gates.

Morton's Rolls (Image: Newsquest)

Reece, 25, says that he has been trying without success to contact the firm.

He added: “As a small business owner, I just can’t carry a financial loss like this. Things are hard enough with the cost-of-living crisis, and the last thing I wanted to do was make the difficult decision to close down for two days with no takings. 

“It also impacted our loyal customers who enjoy coming through our doors for a roll and sausage and a natter.

“I’d like answers, but my calls are being ignored, it seems none of the bosses are available to customers.

“It’s absolutely shambolic and my heart goes out to the folk who could lose their jobs.”

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Reece says that he has lost all confidence in Mortons Rolls but has now managed to find a new supplier.

He added: “In this day and age no small business can afford to close and lose money. What angers me most is that I’m left to take a financial hit without so much as a courtesy call to tell me what's going on.

“People don’t deserve to be treated like this. It’s awful to think that so many decent folk could be left out of work. They are probably as much in the dark as we are.

“Thankfully, I’ve been able to find a new supplier and reopen, but I know some other businesses are struggling to do the same.

“I feel badly let down."

Mortons Rolls was originally founded by Bob Morton and Jim Clarke in 1965 at their Drumchapel bakery in the west of Glasgow.

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Over the years, Mortons expanded its product range to include cakes and savouries, but its flagship product has remained its traditional crispy roll.

Glasgow City Council leader Susan Aitken is also working to rescue the jobs.

She said: "I've been updated by the council team who are working with national agencies to mobilise support for the Mortons' workforce. Our number one priority is to support those facing redundancy into new jobs as quickly as possible and minimise any disruption to household incomes.

For the year to the end of March 2021, the company reported a loss of £262,000 on turnover of more than £11.8m.

Mortons Rolls has been approached by the Glasgow Times for comment but our calls and emails to the company have gone unanswered.