Laurent runs an $800million bakery empire... but he's going to close his store in Melbourne because he's sick of the crime-ridden city centre

By SARAH BROOKES - SENIOR REPORTER, AUSTRALIA Published: 02:28, 29 June 2026 | Updated: 02:28, 29 June 2026 The founder of an $800million bakery empire has slammed crime rates in Melbourne as he abandons the city centre and prepares to shut down several of his stores. Laurent Bakery owner Laurent Boillon, 62, is reducing the number of stores from 17 to 12 - with his business in the CBD among those flagged for closure. Mr Boillon lashed out at the 'level of violence and drugs' in the city, claiming it was 'killing Melbourne'. Premier Jacinta Allan last week rejected claims crime was spiralling, saying the state had the largest police force in the country.  She said organised crime was behind the spike, with young people being recruited to carry out offences. 'Organised crime is recruiting young people to do their dirty work, treating them like disposable assets,' she said. Crime Statistics Agency data revealed overall crime fell by just under two per cent in the 12 months to March, with youth crime dipping for the first time since Covid. Adult crime rose by more than ten per cent, with the uptick linked to breaches of bail, retail theft and breaches of family violence orders.   Laurent Bakery founder Laurent Boillon (pictured) is pulling the plug on a central CBD outlet Mr Boillon revealed he has also been motivated to pare back the number of stores due to high rents and rising overheads in the city Mr Boillon revealed he has also been motivated to pare back the number of stores due to high rents and rising overheads in the city, and will shift his focus to suburban shopping centres instead. He claimed Melbourne CBD was 'dead' and that the tax system was 'going to affect entrepreneurship big time'. 'I can't be bothered, it's too hard,' he told the Herald Sun.  Mr Boillon has urged his youngest son to chase his dream of retiring by 45 in the US rather than Australia. Earlier this month, the Victorian Chamber of Commerce and Industry and Committee for Melbourne called for sweeping reform, saying rising compliance costs are making it harder for businesses to expand, hire staff and compete. Chief executive Sally Curtain said Victoria's settings were discouraging investment and piling pressure on operators. 'Victoria's businesses are carrying some of the heaviest tax and compliance burdens in the country,' she said. 'Businesses understand governments face fiscal pressures, but the current trajectory is not sustainable. 'Every additional layer of tax and regulation affects investment decisions, confidence and ultimately jobs. Victoria needs to become easier to do business in, not harder.' Crime Statistics Agency data revealed the overall crime fell by just under two per cent in the 12 months to March, with youth crime dipping for the first time since Covid (pictured, cops swoop on a driver at a petrol station in Tarneit last week)  Meanwhile, critics say the state's move to entrench work-from-home rights could impact up to 1.3 million small business workers and further drain life from the CBD. The Victorian Chamber has opposed the policy, warning it risks weakening the economy. 'Complex, duplicative and unnecessary regulation undermines the employer-employee relationship and adds to the disincentives for businesses to operate in Victoria,' it said.  Mr Boillon's retreat from his Collins Street store in the heart of Melbourne comes decades after he helped pioneer Australia's artisan bread boom in the early 90s.  Born in Aix-en-Provence in the south of France, he trained at the prestigious Lenôtre school in Paris before moving to Australia, where he landed a role at a five-star Radisson hotel in Cairns during the Japanese tourism boom. It was there he met his wife Julie, who 'dragged' him to Melbourne. In 1993, he opened his first boutique bakery in South Yarra, building the brand into a suburban success story specialising in traditional levain sourdough. At its peak, the business grew to 18 stores. In 2026, EY Australia named Mr Boillon its Entrepreneur of the Year. No comments have so far been submitted. Why not be the first to send us your thoughts, or debate this issue live on our message boards. By posting your comment you agree to our house rules. Do you want to automatically post your MailOnline comments to your Facebook Timeline? Your comment will be posted to MailOnline as usual. Do you want to automatically post your MailOnline comments to your Facebook Timeline? Your comment will be posted to MailOnline as usual We will automatically post your comment and a link to the news story to your Facebook timeline at the same time it is posted on MailOnline. To do this we will link your MailOnline account with your Facebook account. We’ll ask you to confirm this for your first post to Facebook. You can choose on each post whether you would like it to be posted to Facebook. Your details from Facebook will be used to provide you with tailored content, marketing and ads in line with our Privacy Policy.