Chorley Pie Shop Owner Closes Market Street Outlet Amid Rising Costs, Gets Response from Andy Burnham

Paul Bowen, who owns Bowen Pies and appeared on The Apprentice in 2024, is closing his Market Street shop in Chorley. He shared on social media that the rising costs of running the business, especially the increase in employer National Insurance, made it impossible to keep the shop open despite it bringing in about £100,000 a year.

Bowen said he was already struggling with higher energy bills, business rates, wages and other expenses. He pointed out the growing number of empty shops in Chorley and other towns and asked Prime Minister Andy Burnham what was being done to lower energy prices and reduce taxes on small businesses.

Burnham replied, expressing his sympathy and acknowledging that many high streets across the country face similar problems. He mentioned a new government plan announced just days earlier, which includes investing £210 million to revive empty buildings and turn them into community hubs, health centres, shared workspaces and cafés. This effort aims to bring life back to local high streets and support small businesses.

Bowen’s Market Street shop is one of three Bowen Pies locations, with the others on Harpers Lane in Chorley and Chorley Road in Adlington. Those shops will stay open. The closure date for the Market Street outlet was reported as Saturday, 26 September 2026.

This story highlights the challenges small businesses face in today’s economic climate. Rising costs are pushing local shops to close, which affects the vibrancy of town centres. The government’s investment is a broader attempt to tackle this issue, but for business owners like Bowen, the pressure on daily operations remains tough.