Politics · United Kingdom · 1 hr ago
Bread Ahead founder criticises business climate after Borough Market lease dispute
Bread Ahead founder Matthew Jones criticised the UK business climate after a dispute over his bakery’s stall at Borough Market in London.
The family bakery has traded there since 2013, selling doughnuts, sourdough, pastries and coffee.
Jones said the market told him to leave during lease renewal because the bakery had grown too successful and attracted too many customers.
The market and bakery agreed to extend the lease to 2028, although the market said the lease was always due to end in March 2028 and no deal has been reached beyond then.
Jones said he still feels unwelcome and may leave when the lease ends.
He says running the business abroad is easier, and Bread Ahead is preparing to open its first US bakery in New York in November, while it also has locations in Asia and the Middle East.
The dispute comes as Jones criticises Labour’s business policies, including higher employer National Insurance contributions; the bakery’s next move after 2028 remains undecided.
Bread Ahead founder Matthew Jones criticised the business climate in Britain after a dispute over his bakery’s lease at Borough Market.
Jones said the market had told the bakery to leave because it was too successful and expanding abroad.
Borough Market and Bread Ahead have agreed to extend the lease until 2028, though the market said it had always been due to end in March 2028.
Jones said he still did not feel welcome and might leave when the lease ends.
Bread Ahead is preparing to open its first US location in New York in November.
- Who
- Bread Ahead founder Matthew Jones and Borough Market.
- What
- Jones criticised the British business climate after a dispute over the bakery’s lease. The lease has been extended until 2028.
- When
- The dispute arose during a lease renewal process last month. The article was published on 26 October 2026.
- Where
- Borough Market in London; Bread Ahead is also preparing to open a bakery in New York.
- Why
- Jones said the market told the bakery to leave because it was too successful and expanding abroad. He also criticised what he described as pressures on businesses in Britain.
Matthew Jones
Borough Market
Lease dispute
Matthew Jones
Jones said the bakery had been told to leave because it was too successful and expanding abroad.
Borough Market
The market said the lease was always set to end in March 2028, and no agreement had been reached beyond that.
Future at the market
Matthew Jones
Jones said he still did not feel welcome and might leave after the extension.
Borough Market
The market’s stated position was that the lease had been extended until 2028; no further view on the bakery’s future was reported.
Bread Ahead began serving customers at Borough Market.
During the lease renewal process, the bakery was told to leave, according to Jones.
Bread Ahead and Borough Market had agreed to extend the lease until 2028.
Bread Ahead is preparing to open its first US location in New York.
Borough Market said the lease was always set to end in this month.
- Founder
- Matthew Jones
- Borough Market opening
- 2013
- Lease extension
- Until 2028
- Lease end stated by market
- March 2028
- First US location
- New York, planned for November
What people are saying
What's happened to our country? Why are we doing this? Why are we penalising businesses?
It's so much easier opening up and running a business abroad. The speed of things, there's just no blockages in the way and everyone wants you to do it. It's just not like that in Britain anymore.
The whole process was infuriating. It is really frustrating and we just want to get on with running the business.