Black Country family food shop on sale with its faggots recipe to close

No-one has shown an interest in buying a 125-year-old family food business which went on sale with its trademark recipes and staff included.

The Cook Shop in Old Hill, near Halesowen in West Midlands, will now close on 30 August.

Nigel Brazier, the fourth generation of his family to run it, said the premises would be on sale for £90,000.

His seven staff, one full-time and six part-time, will leave with redundancy payments totalling £11,000.

He said the redundancy bill was large because his staff were long serving.

The business first went on sale in June including its staff and Black Country recipes for faggots, Groaty Dick, bread pudding and the shop's trademark sage and onion stuffing.

Mr Brazier said: "No-one, and I mean no-one, has shown an interest in buying the shop and so I am letting the staff leave with their redundancy.

"The lack of interest in buying a successful business after so much media coverage has been dreadfully disappointing, but it must be a sign of the times.

"I have to say at the moment the recipes will stay with me. I still have ambitions to write the book about The Cook Shop and it would be good to lace it with recipes."

Julie Webb, Labour councillor for Cradley Heath and Old Hill ward, said: "It's the end of an era.

"Nigel provides a significant community facility as well as a shop - people don't just go there as customers; they share all their woes.

"It's always had such a personal service. It will be sorely missed."