Morrisons is set to close more than 100 McColl’s stores – with several in the North East expected to shut.
Since the bombshell announcement, talk has turned to which stores would close, with it being confirmed that convenience stores in Darlington, Gateshead, Redcar, and several others in the region are earmarked for closure.
This comes after Morrisons revealed proposals to shut more than 132 loss-making McColl’s stores – a convenience chain it bought earlier this year.
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And it means around 1,300 jobs are at risk as a result.
Here is the full list of the stores in North East that will shut:
- Gateshead 8 Fewster Square - NE10 8XQ
- Harrogate - HG2 0AG
- Darlington Yarm Road - DL1 1XL
- Billingham Neasham Avenue - TS23 3QZ*
- Darlington Whitby Way - DL3 9UH*
- Normanby 33 High Street - TS6 0NH*
- Ashington Meadowfield - NE63 9TR*
- Redcar Gurney Street - TS11 8EQ*
- Wingate Front Street - TS28 5AA*
* - all of the stores with post offices
Morrisons said it expects some McColl's stores to return to profitability as part of its turnaround plans but highlighted that there are ‘132 stores where there is no realistic prospect of achieving a breakeven position in the medium term’.
Bradford-based Morrisons, which itself was bought in a £7 billion deal last year, said that all 1,300 workers at risk from the closure plans will be offered roles elsewhere in the company.
Joseph Sutton, Morrisons' convenience, online and wholesale director, said: "We have a great deal of work to do but there's no question that McColl's is a business with strong potential.
"I'm confident that the combination of McColl's conveniently located stores and great colleagues, together with Morrisons scale, brand, systems and fresh food expertise, will lead to a transformation of the business.
"We very much regret the proposed closure of 132 loss-making stores, but it is, very sadly, an important step towards the regeneration of the business.
"I am confident that McColl's can, in the Morrisons family, once again become a growing, thriving and vibrant convenience business serving local communities across the UK."
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