AFTER five years of defying closure following the national collapse of the Patisserie Valerie chain, its Basingstoke branch has permanently closed.

The bakery in Festival Place vacated its space unexpectedly, leaving the unit looking abandoned and with no public notification of the closure.

However, Festival Place confirmed the closure and assured customers that they are already in talks with a "new and exciting brand" to take over the space.

Patisserie Valerie, a nearly century-old bakery chain adored across the UK and Ireland, had grown to be one of the most-loved bakeries in the country.

It was popular in Basingstoke too, although the branch received a concerning one-star hygiene rating in February 2020.

Patisserie Valerie in Festival PlacePatisserie Valerie in Festival Place (Image: Mark Paine)

READ MORE: Basingstoke Patisserie Valerie rated one out of five stars for hygiene

The national chain of Patisserie Valerie collapsed in early 2019 following fraud charges against its owners, leading to closure of several bakeries across the UK, while a few branches continued to serve customers.

Patisserie Valerie outlets in Winchester and High Wycombe suddenly shut their doors at the start of this year, sparking rumours of a similar fate for the Basingstoke branch.

The company's head of operations, Nicole Randall, confirmed the closure of branch and said: “Unfortunately, we were unable to agree renewal terms with the landlord and this is why we have been forced to close.”

A spokesperson for Festival Place said: “While we are sad to see Patisserie Valerie leave FP, we are already in advanced discussions with an exciting new brand to take the space, and more details will follow in the coming months.”