End of an era as oldest Morecambe firm moves across bay

Long-standing Morecambe Bay Shrimps firm Baxters of Morecambe '“ the town's oldest business '“ has closed its base in the resort.
Baxter's of Morecambe has moved its whole business to Flookburgh.Baxter's of Morecambe has moved its whole business to Flookburgh.
Baxter's of Morecambe has moved its whole business to Flookburgh.

The company – which has been producing potted shrimps since 1880 and is the oldest and most traditional such company in the country – is still open for business but will now be solely operating from its unit in Flookburgh.

Baxters was based off Thornton Road in Morecambe, where there is now a sign on the door informing customers of the news.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Owner Clare Holland said the Morecambe side of the company has been slowly scaled back in recent months and will now continue from Flookburgh alone, where they have had a unit for peeling shrimps for about 30 years.

“We process the shrimps in Flookburgh in a purpose-built factory,” she said.

“This will make the whole process a lot smoother. We have been thinking about it for quite a while.

“Everything will be the same but the premises has moved to a more up-to-date premises.”

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Mrs Holland said the move would ensure the firm was able to apply for various forms of accreditation which would not have been possible while based in the Morecambe premises.

“It served its purpose but we needed to move to a more modern unit,” she said.

“The business has obviously been there for a long time so it’s sad but we are still in Morecambe Bay; we had to make the decision to keep the business going.

“Customers can still ring and order their shrimps and we will deliver them. It’s business as usual.”

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Baxters was granted the Royal Warrant in 1967, which is retained to this day based on a totally unique recipe which has been handed down through the family for seven generations.

The Queen Mother was a long-standing Baxters customer with orders regularly despatched from Morecambe to Sandringham for Christmas.

To contact Baxters, customers can use their original telephone number of 01524 410910.