A COMPANY which ran a bakery in Milnthorpe has gone into voluntary liquidation, partly as a result of the foot-and-mouth crisis and low visitor numbers.

Lakeland Bakeries Ltd was formed in February last year but, at a meeting of company members in Carlisle earlier this month, it was decided it could no longer continue trading.

David Johnson, of Saint and Co, in Workington, was appointed liquidator to handle the voluntary winding-up.

He told the Gazette: "The company had one or two bad debts, people who couldn't pay, which didn't help its cash flow, and it was also adversely affected by the foot-and-mouth crisis." The former bakery, on Beetham Road, has been sold to Steve Edmondson, who is to open a coffee shop called 'Arabica'.