Villímar, a bakery with deep roots in Burgos, now remains closed every Sunday. Demand has not fallen; the owners could not recruit staff willing to work the demanding early-morning shift. Marimar de Miguel and her daughter Carla offered €1,600 per month across 15 payments and a 35-hour workweek, hoping to attract candidates for the 3:00 to 10:00 a.m. schedule. Even with these terms, the position remained unfilled.
The vacancy required starting work before dawn, five days a week, with two days off. Although the official schedule was 40 hours, the actual workload was reduced to 35 hours to offset the difficult hours. The annual salary, spread over 15 payments, amounted to €24,000, though it was not specified whether this figure was gross or net. The offer did not detail the contract type or whether night-work bonuses applied. After several unsuccessful hires, the search was abandoned.
For Marimar and Carla, the challenge went beyond filling a shift. The bakery’s production relies on skilled hands to manage a technical process, from kneading through fermentation to the final bake. That work requires training and the ability to adapt to a schedule that starts long before sunrise. Each step is closely linked, and any absence can disrupt the entire day’s output.
Restructuring to Survive
Faced with repeated turnover and no lasting solution, the owners decided to close on Sundays. This gives the team a day to rest and removes the need to cover the most difficult shift. The owners say regular customers have accepted the change, and the bakery continues to operate as usual during the other six days. The move has helped stabilize the business and ease pressure on the remaining staff. It also preserves a family tradition spanning more than seven decades.
Broader Labour Challenges
The situation at Villímar is not unique. Across Spain, many manual trades are struggling to attract new workers, especially for roles requiring specialized skills and unsociable hours. The bakery’s experience echoes similar difficulties in other sectors, including construction, where companies face shortages of young recruits. So, some businesses are forced to reduce hours, limit production or turn down certain shifts to protect their core operations.
The bakery’s story highlights the challenges of night work and generational turnover. It offers no support for sweeping claims that “nobody wants to work.” Instead, it points to the complex reality of recruiting for demanding roles, even when pay and conditions are above average for the sector. The owners closed on Sundays in response to a persistent staffing problem, not because the business was declining.
Context and Outlook
Spain’s labour market continues to evolve, with many traditional businesses adapting to changing expectations around work-life balance and shift patterns. A related report on retail-sector adjustments covered delays in implementing new deposit schemes at major supermarkets. Companies across different industries are rethinking how to remain viable amid shifting workforce dynamics. For Villímar, closing one day a week has become the compromise that keeps the ovens burning for the rest of the week.
