Twisted Treats in St Botolph's Street to close down

Twisted Treats, in St Botolph's Street, will close at the end of January, an Instagram post has revealed.

Twisted Treats was designed to be a safe space for neurodivergent people, the LGBTQ+ community and for anyone who doesn’t feel like they have a space.

It was founded in 2018 by Jo Lucking, an experienced pastry chef with more than 15 years in the industry.

Bakery - Twisted Treats (Image: Newsquest) Jo originally started he business as a passion project and made baked goods to sell to the markets, it then grew to a shop in Yorick Road, Mersea, before moving last year to Colchester.

The vibrantly decorated location in Colchester underwent two months of renovation work which was supported by a £9,000 crowdfunder page thanks to her customers, before it opened in September 2023.

In the Instagram post, Jo explained that she is “completely and utterly drained” as the “absolute stress of running a business” at the moment was “too much”.

She cited a “constant increases in prices” as a factor for her decision to close the business.

Tasty - goods for sale at Twisted Treats (Image: Newsquest) The post reads: “There is no end in sight with the national wage going up and National Insurance contributions going up in April. It’s the final nail.

“I haven’t paid myself a full wage in over a year now and I’ve dredged my savings dry.

“Our customers have less money, which means we are getting less people in the shop, which means we are bringing in less money at the same time as our costs sky rocketing.”

Jo, who has ADHD and is neurodivergent, spoke to The Gazette last year about how she wanted to use the bakery to raise awareness around it.

Product - cookie monster blondie treats (Image: Newsquest) In her own words at the time, Jo said neurodivergent people “struggle with daily tasks that neurotypical people wouldn't normally think about."

This includes social interactions, concentration, and most regular tasks can be a lot harder.

Twisted Treats will continue to sell its tasty cakes, cookies, and other goodies throughout December as usual, and will then reduce its “hours until the end of January”.

The Instagram post said: “I opened Twisted Treats with so many ideas and expectations and I just haven’t managed to bring them to fruition.

Twisted Treats - more goods (Image: Newsquest) “It’s just too much work for one person.

“I have been on the wrong end of burnout for a long time now and with a break clause in our contract I have made the absolutely agonising decision to close the doors.

“I can never express the gratitude I have for every single person who has supported me over the years.

“And also to my staff, who have put so much effort into Twisted Treats and to keep it going and make people feel safe and happy.”

It ended on a positive note as Jo explained how she is “excited for the future and is proud” of what she has achieved.