Morrisons has just revealed it is close 132 of its loss-making McColl's convenience stores, putting 1,300 jobs at risk. The news comes after the supermaket chain agreed to buy McColl's out of administration in May.
The group will delay the closure of these stores until next year to let them serve local communities over the Christmas period
The company said that staff who could be made redundant will be offered jobs elsewhere in the business.
Morrisons now plans to convert all its remaining McColl's stores into Morrisons Daily shops as it aims to revive the chain's fortunes. There are currently 1,164 McColl's stores trading, 286 of which operate under the Morrisons Daily brand.
Joseph Sutton, Convenience, Online & Wholesale Director, said, ‘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.’
He concluded, '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.’