Planet Doughnut axes two Cheshire stores but Chester branch safe and set for rebrand

Planet Doughnut has announced the closure of two Cheshire stores while also confirming that the future of its Chester city centre branch is safe and will undergo a rebrand. Bosses said the "tough decision" had been taken to shut its sites in Warrington and Widnes as well as St Helens, Newcastle-under-Lyme and Lichfield.

Its three remaining branches - on Frodsham Street in Chester and in Shrewsbury and Telford - will be rebranded as Dipp'd. Its Nantwich shop shut last year.

In a social media message to customers, Planet Doughnut stated: "Despite our best efforts and continued support, one of our franchise partners has made the tough decision to close all four of their Planet Doughnut stores in Widnes, Warrington, St Helens and Newcastle. We sympathise with our franchisee as trading on the high street has been difficult in recent years. Our founder, Duncan McGregor, has also made the tough decision to close one of his stores in Lichfield."

The message added: "Although retail is hard at the moment, the Planet Doughnut Bakery has never been busier. We are now hand-making, icing, decorating and finishing 10,000 doughnuts a day and our amazing creations are more readily available across the UK than ever before."

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