Tiptree subsidiary Wilkin and Sons announces closure of Essex tearoom

TIPTREE jam maker Wilkin and Sons has said it is “very sad” to close one of its tea rooms after the company posted a £1.8m loss this year.

The Lordship Tea Room in Writtle, which employs up to 20 people, will not have its lease renewed in September, but the company’s nine other tea rooms are expected to continue trading.

The company said The Lordship was not performing as well as its other tea rooms.

The company’s 2023 year-end statement said it was looking to “gradually filter out the worst-performing sites.”

Directors – Scott Goodfellow, Joint Managing Director of Wilkin and Sons (left) with Walter Scott, Chairman (right) (Image: Tiptree)

Scott Goodfellow, co-managing director of Wilkin and Sons, thanked his team and customers for their support over the years.

He said: “However, recent years have been very challenging for hospitality businesses, including ours, and it is with great sadness that we will not be renewing our lease in September.”

Regarding the future of the remaining nine tea rooms, eight of which are in Essex, Mr Goodfellow said: “Our tea rooms are an important part of our business, and we are keen to retain and grow our existing estate.

“We are continually reviewing our operations and working very hard across all our sites to overcome the current challenges.”

Tea – The Essex Rose Tea Room in Dedham (Image: Wilkin & Sons)

Sales hit a record high last year, with exports reaching £10m for the first time.

However, unprecedented rises in energy costs forced Wilkin and Sons to switch from three-year to two-year contracts and they recorded a loss of £1.8m, after a profit of £1.1m the previous year.

Rising costs of raw materials, including glass and packaging, have forced the jam company to reduce the size of its jars from 454g to 340g, while keeping the price roughly the same.

Wilkin and Sons’ planning application to Colchester Council in 2023 for solar panels to help save energy costs and reduce its carbon footprint has been approved.

The installation will be carried out in two phases, the first comprising 10,380 panels and the second phase providing an additional 5,000.