ROYAL visitor The Duke of Gloucester has made a welcome return to Roberts Bakery to raise the curtain on a new bakery plant.

The Rudheath-based bakery rose to the occasion last week as it commemorated the launch of the family bakers’ new 3,000 square metre bread plant with an official unveiling by the Duke.

The bakery, which was established in 1887, celebrated its recent investment by showing off the plant in full action.

The royal visitor was given a guided tour of the new facility, alongside deputy chairman Mike Roberts, chairman Robert Higginson, project engineer Steve Harper and chief baker, Neil Burgess.

During his walkabout of the new plant, the Duke chatted with staff and a commemorative plaque was unveiled in the new building to mark the prestigious visit.

Later, a royal reception took place on site, where the Duke was presented with a bespoke Roberts Bakery bread board in front of 40 members of staff and members of the Roberts family, including four fifth generation descendants.

Mike Roberts of Roberts Bakery said: “Roberts remains a family-owned business, and we are committed to investment in our local community and the quality of our products.

“We have a long-term growth plan in place and have entered 2015 optimistically, recently purchasing an additional eight acres of land adjacent to our original site.”

This is not the first time Roberts has welcomed Royalty, with The Duke of Gloucester having opened Plant Two at the bakery 12 years ago.

The bakery has been running for more than 125 years, starting from modest beginnings as a grocery store which sold freshly-baked bread to the residents of Northwich in the heart of Cheshire.

Today more than two million loaves of high quality bread - the new plant produces 7,000 loaves per hour alone - can still be seen rotating in the iconic cooling towers at the front of the bakery, a renowned local landmark.

More than a million bread rolls and teacakes are also produced at Roberts Bakery each week, and the company delivers to customers across the north of England, north Wales and the Midlands.