The manager of the Pat' d'Amérique bakery in Bagnols calls for “people's solidarity” to save her business

Patricia Steffen a ouvert sa boulangerie Pat'd'amande il y a cinq ans. – C.L.

Patricia Steffen, la gérante de la boulangerie, n'a plus de trésorerie et ne se paye plus depuis presque un an. Elle a ouvert une cagnotte en ligne pour "sauver" son commerce.

"We are in very serious financial difficulty. It's really a hassle." It's a call for help from Patricia Steffen, the manager of the Pat&# bakery 39; almond, located at 26 rue Fernand-Crémieux in Bagnols-sur-Cèze. For several days now, the businesswoman has launched an online prize pool to "save" her business opened five years ago. "I have no cash left at all. With this prize pool, I am calling for people's solidarity. I'm lucky to have a lovely clientele who ask me to fight to stay open."

For almost a year, the manager has not been paid. She also had to part ways with her saleswoman. La Bagnolaise only has one employee left: the baker. "J' had to defer his salary, he is understanding." The landlord also agrees to "postpone rent payments".

Sale at a loss for "certain products"

These financial difficulties are partly the consequence of "the surge" in the price of materials raw materials but also the price of energy which was "multiplied by 6" this year. The manager therefore had to revise her prices upwards at the beginning of September. "I can't increase them anymore. I put myself in the customers’ shoes too. Some people complain because the croissant costs 1.40 euros; but I don't make any margin on it! I even have to sell certain products at a loss."

Patricia Steffen, who worked for a long time as a saleswoman in a bakery on rue de la République before opening her business, also deplores the lack of attractiveness of the city center. "It's desert. The center became so poor after Covid. People need to come back to town to buy."

"People don't come to park in town anymore"

For her, the work on Place Bertin-Boissin was "the hammer blow" with a "clear decrease"of attendance. The town hall compensated him 2,500€ for operating loss. A sum she received "only" three weeks ago.

"The one-way street on avenue Paul-Langevin was also terrible. People no longer come to park in town. I am appealing to the town hall. What will she do for the businesses that are dying in the center ?"  The manager promises to continue fighting "as long as the banks follow" to keep her business at which she is "very attached".

The response from the town hall

The manager was reçue "à several times"in the mayor's office. The town hall has expanded the perimeter so that the bakery can benefit from financial aid. exceptional period for the operating loss linked to the work on Place Boissin (voted by the municipal council on November 29).

To establish the loss of turnover, the municipality did " effort" to take into account the figures before Covid. "If she received help only three weeks ago it's because it was necessary to do the process' in the minutes of the municipal council, have it validated by the prefecture and then mandate the public treasury which, in turn, has one month for ;eacute;block our budget." 

Concerning the change of direction on Avenue Paul-Langevin, the town hall specifies that "these are the businesses& ccedil;ants who requested experiment with the change of meaning during a group meeting. in which Patricia Steffen did not participate" and ensures "to attract people to the city center&amp ;quot;. "We provided one hour of free parking per day instead of twice 20 minutes so that people have time to do their shopping in town. "