Morrisons has shut the first of 100 planned convenience store closures, delivering a devastating blow to the Woodley community in Reading. The Morrisons Daily store on Crockhamwell Road closed on Sunday, also resulting in the loss of a local Post Office that had operated from the site since the early 1960s.
Community Reaction to Closure
Local residents expressed shock and frustration at the sudden closure. One woman, who was unaware of the closure, told The Sun: "What are we supposed to do for banking and the Post Office then? What are we supposed to do? Go into [Reading]? That's ridiculous." The Post Office had been a fixture on Crockhamwell Road for approximately 60 years, providing essential mail and banking services to the area.
Morrisons Announces 100 Store Closures
The closure follows Morrisons' announcement earlier this year that it would close 100 of its smaller Morrisons Daily stores. A spokesperson for the supermarket giant explained: "The performance of all company-owned stores across our Convenience business is subject to continuous review. Having completed the review, we are now proposing to take the tough but necessary decision to close a number of these stores over the next few months." The spokesperson added that the affected stores were part of the McColl's acquisition and had been loss-making for years despite remedial efforts.
Reasons Behind the Closures
Morrisons attributed the closures to "significant cost increases" resulting from "government policy choices." The company did not specify which policies, but the closures are part of a broader trend of high street shop, restaurant, and bank closures across the UK in recent months.
