Big Bakes Bakery to close Exeter city centre shop after four years on Queen Street

Big Bakes Bakery has confirmed it will close its Queen Street shop in Exeter later this month, with the owners describing the move as a positive change for the business while acknowledging the affection many local customers have for the store.

The independent bakery, known for its brownies, cookies and oversized cake slices, will vacate the Queen Street premises once its lease comes to an end. 

The business will continue to operate from its Torquay shop and through its online store.

The vacant Big Bakes unit will soon have a new tenant, with Portal Pizza, an independent business that has expanded rapidly since opening near Exeter Quay in 2021, set to move in.

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Nearby, Topsham Brewery has also announced plans to open a new bar in the former Tabac Taphouse site next year, highlighting continued change and movement along Queen Street.

For many Exeter residents, the closure marks the loss of a familiar and much-loved stop on the city’s main shopping street. 

Several customers said Big Bakes had become part of their regular routine, a place to meet friends, pick up treats after work or add something special to a trip into town.

“It’s one of those places you’d always pop into if you were on Queen Street,” said Jane Haydon from Princesshay. 

“You might not go every week, but knowing it was there added something to the feel of the street. It’ll definitely be missed.”

Another shopper, Lauren Hughes, said the bakery helped draw people further up Queen Street: “Places like Big Bakes give you a reason to keep walking along the street rather than just heading straight to the High Street chains.”

Adding to this, she said that, “losing independents like that does affect footfall, even if it’s in small ways.”

Owners Ryan Bolton and Charlie Deeley said the decision was not driven by failure, but by a desire to step back from the pressure of running multiple shops and to refocus on the parts of the business they enjoy most.

“We’re actually seeing this as an exciting next step for us,” said co-owner Charlie Deeley.

 “We wanted to explore what it would be like to run two shops, particularly one in a city, and it’s been a great experience.

“Ultimately, though, we’ve realised that it’s simply not the right long-term fit for us. We’d really appreciate it if this wasn’t portrayed as negative news.” 

“We’re not closing down or experiencing particular difficulties, it’s simply a business decision about what works best for us going forward.”

Big Bakes first opened in Exeter more than four years ago, building a loyal following and becoming part of the city centre’s independent food scene. 

Customers took to social media to share memories of birthday cakes, end-of-week treats and spontaneous visits that had become small but meaningful rituals.

“It feels emotional, even though you understand why they’re doing it,” said one regular. “Independents give Exeter its personality. When one closes, it does leave a gap.”

The shop’s final trading week will run from Tuesday 20 January to Saturday 24 January, with the owners planning discounts, giveaways and special offers as a way of saying thank you to customers.

The closure comes amid ongoing discussion about the health of Exeter’s city centre and the challenges facing high streets nationally. 

While new businesses continue to open, residents said the departure of familiar independents can change how welcoming and vibrant a street feels.

“It’s not just about one shop closing,” Megan Smith from St. Thomas said. “It’s about whether people still feel drawn into the city centre. When independents go, it can feel a bit less personal.”

As Big Bakes prepares to close its Exeter chapter, the owners said they remain grateful for the city’s support.

“We’ve had a genuinely positive time in Exeter,” Charlie Deeley said. 

“The last four and a half years have meant the world to us, and we hope people will come in, say hello and help us celebrate the final week.”