‘Billies Bake Final Buns

World famous Cambridge bakers Fitzbillies have come to a sticky end after 89 years in business. The Trumpington Street business shut its doors unexpectedly for the final time on Friday.

But that didn’t stop vandals smashing the bakery windows, in an effort to gain access to the fully stocked shop, which has now been boarded up.

Frequented by many a famous Cantab over the years, Fitzbillies is most synonymous with Queens’ alumnus Stephen Fry, who clearly felt that they had the recipe for success.

Fry was voted Cambridge’s second best bloke of all time by Tab readers last week, and has said: “I lived on these when I was a student.”

Current Queens’ students were equally horrified to hear the news. 1^st year Manon Lewis said: “It’s very sad that Fitzbillies has closed. It was a lovely place to take the parents when they came to Cambridge.”

Fitzbillies’ tourist favourites Chelsea buns have been sent round the world, as well as being a hit with students.

History fresher David Wilson was also in on the act, saying: “the recession is obviously hitting everyone hard, but this really takes the biscuit.”

Potential customers have this week been shocked to find signs plastered to the doors to both the tea room and bakery reading: “WE ARE CLOSED.”

The move has come without warning, and though some people have speculated it is linked to the attempted break-in, the shop’s owner, Penny Thomson, has confirmed customers’ worst fears.

Thomson admitted that their profits have been sliced, saying in a statement: “Our closure is a result of the very difficult economic times, especially for independent businesses.”

At the forefront of sweet-toothed students’ minds for nearly a century, The Telegraph said in 1995 that the “the epitome of a bygone age is its stickyissimus Chelsea bun.”

Photos by Louise Long