Morrisons Closes Loss-Making McColl's Stores While Expanding Franchises

The supermarket chain Morrisons is closing several of its convenience stores, including Morrisons Daily locations in Blackpool and Woodley, following a review of its convenience business. The company identified these specific sites as loss-making stores acquired through the McColl's acquisition that have faced performance challenges for several years despite remedial actions.

A company spokesperson attributed the inability to return these stores to profitability to significant cost increases resulting from government policy choices. In Woodley, the closure of the Morrisons Daily store will also terminate postal services at that location on August 19, reducing local access to banking and essential services.

Despite these closures, Morrisons is pursuing a strategy to improve the quality of its convenience estate by seeking opportunities to open hundreds of new franchise convenience stores.