Morrisons has officially launched a massive shutdown plan that will ultimately see up to 100 of its neighbourhood convenience outlets vanish from town centres for good. Dozens of loss-making branches are slated to be axed over the coming months as bosses scramble to pull the plug on struggling locations.
First wave of closures confirmed
Two shops in Woodley, Berkshire, including a popular Crockhamwell Road branch, have already had their shutters pulled down permanently. The doomed branches are understood to be former McColl's outlets that were previously rescued by the brand, reports the Express. Despite rescue attempts, bosses admit the sites have been running at a loss for years and can no longer be kept afloat amidst soaring overheads.
A spokesman for Morrisons said: "The performance of all company owned stores across our convenience business is subject to continuous review. This process has identified a number of stores, which were part of the McColl's acquisition, whose performance has been challenged for a number of years and which are loss making, despite remedial action. This situation has been exacerbated in more recent years by significant cost increases resulting from government policy choices, which have made returning these stores to profitability even more difficult. 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."
Impact on communities and Post Office services
The closures mark a devastating blow for local shoppers, with many of the targeted branches also housing vital Post Office counters. Hundreds of workers now face an anxious wait as company chiefs enter consultations with affected staff.
Morrisons, which operates around 1,700 convenience shops and 500 larger supermarkets nationwide while employing 95,000 staff, has not yet released the complete nationwide list of all 100 doomed sites. However, bosses have now confirmed the first wave of confirmed closures.
Confirmed Store Closures So Far
- Avon Drive Post Office, Morrisons, 18 Avon Drive, Bedford, MK41 7AF.
- Bewdley Post Office, Morrisons, 7 Load Street, Bewdley, DY12 2AF.
- Blackwater Post Office, Morrisons, 24 London Road, Blackwater, Camberley, GU17 9AA.
- Brigg Post Office, Morrisons, 8 Wrawby Street, Brigg, DN20 8ER.
- Burpham Post Office, Morrisons, 214 London Road, Burpham, Guildford, GU4 7JS.
- Calne Post Office, Morrisons, 21 Phelps Parade, Calne, SN11 0HA.
- Chalfont St Peter Post Office, Morrisons, 51-55 St Peters Court, Chalfont St Peter, Gerrards Cross, SL9 9QQ.
- Church Road Post Office, Morrisons, 96 Church Road, Barnes, London, SW13 0DQ.
- Clerkhill Post Office, Morrisons, Clerkhill Road, Peterhead, AB42 2XE.
- Coley Park Post Office, Morrisons, 56 Wensley Road, Coley Park, Reading, RG1 6DJ.
- Crown Wood Post Office, Morrisons, Crown Wood, Bracknell, RG12 0TH.
- Darras Hall Post Office, Morrisons, 25 The Broadway, Ponteland, Newcastle Upon Tyne, NE20 9PW.
- Defoe Parade Post Office, Morrisons, 3 Defoe Parade, Grays, RM16 4QR.
- Downend Post Office, Morrisons, 4 Downend Road, Downend, Bristol, BS16 5UJ
- Edinburgh Road Post Office, Morrisons, 69-71 Edinburgh Road, Jarrow, NE32 4BB.
- Fairfax Avenue Post Office, Morrisons, 161 Fairfax Avenue, Hull, HU5 4QZ.
- Fleet Post Office, Morrisons, 229 Fleet Road, Fleet, GU51 3HH.
- Goldsworth Park Post Office, Morrisons, 5 Denton Way, Woking, GU21 3LG.
- Great Baddow Post Office, Morrisons, The Vineyards, Great Baddow, Chelmsford, CM2 7QS.
- Greystoke Avenue Post Office, Morrisons, 12 Arnside Road, Southmead, Bristol, BS10 6AT.
- Grove Hill Post Office, Morrisons, 3 Grove Hill Centre, Hemel Hempstead, HP2 6BJ.
- Hallgrove Post Office, Morrisons, 10 Hallgrove, Welwyn Garden City, AL7 4PH.
- Hassocks Post Office, Morrisons, 44 Keymer Road, Hassocks, BN6 8AR.
- Heatherside Post Office, Morrisons, 8 Heatherside Arcade, Heatherside, GU15 1AX.
- Horley Post Office, Morrisons, Unit 4 Consort Way, Horley, RH6 7AF.
- Hundredstone Post Office, Morrisons, 53 Glenthorne Avenue, Yeovil, BA21 4PN.
- Ifield Drive Post Office, Morrisons, Ifield Drive, Crawley, RH11 0DQ.
- Jansel Square Post Office, Morrisons, 35 Jansel Square, Aylesbury, HP21 7ET.
- Leominster Post Office, Morrisons, 1-3 South Street, Leominster, HR6 8JA.
- Locks Bottom Post Office, Morrisons, 336-338 Crofton Road, Orpington, BR6 8NW.
- Longfield Post Office, Morrisons, 69 Station Road, Longfield, DA3 7QA.
- Luton Post Office, Morrisons, 214 Luton Road, Chatham, ME4 5BS.
- Manston Drive Post Office, Morrisons, 3 Snowley Parade, Bishops Stortford, CM23 5EP
- Marshalswick Post Office, Morrisons, 29 The Quadrant, Marshalswick, St Albans, AL4 9RE.
- Montague Avenue Post Office, Morrisons, 53 Montague Avenue, Southampton, SO19 0QB.
- Murch Post Office, Morrisons, The Parade, Dinas Powys, CF64 4NR.
- New Ash Green Post Office, Morrisons, 19-21 The Row, New Ash Green, Longfield, DA3 8JB.
- New Milton Post Office, Morrisons, 75-77 Station Road, New Milton, BH25 6JD.
- North Parade Post Office, Morrisons, 16-18 North Parade, Chessington, KT9 1QF.
- Radyr Post Office, Morrisons, 10 Station Road, Radyr, Cardiff, CF15 8AA.
- Riverview Park Post Office, Morrisons, 4-6 The Alma, Gravesend, DA12 4NG.
- Rochford Post Office, Morrisons, 14 West Street, Rochford, SS4 1AJ.
- Shortstown Post Office, Morrisons, North Drive, Shortstown, Bedford, MK42 0TL.
- Stephenson Square Post Office, Morrisons, 10 Stephenson Square, Walsall, WS2 7DY.
- Surbiton Post Office, Morrisons, 2-3 Victoria Road, Surbiton, KT6 4JU.
- Taunton Road Post Office, Morrisons, 135 Taunton Road, Bridgwater, TA6 6BD.
- Thatcham Post Office, Morrisons, 54-55 The Broadway, Thatcham, RG19 3HP.
- The Neighbourhood Centre Post Office, Morrisons, 9 The Neighbourhood Centre, Poole, BH17 9DW.
- The Oval Post Office, Morrisons, 17-19 The Oval, Stevenage, SG1 5RA.
- West Park Post Office, Morrisons, 444 Crownhill Road, West Park, Plymouth, PL5 2QT.
- Whipton Post Office, Morrisons, 352 Pinhoe Road, Exeter, EX4 8AJ.
- Woodthorpe Post Office, Morrisons, 51 Moorcroft Road, York, YO24 2RQ.
