A well-known supermarket daily store in a North Yorkshire town is set to close this weekend, as part of a wider programme of mass closures.
The Morrisons store, on Stokesley High Street, is among the first seven Morrisons Daily branches named for closure as the chain moves to shut around 100 convenience stores acquired through its takeover of McColl’s.
The company has said the affected sites have struggled with performance for several years and that it forms "part of a wider strategy to improve the overall performance of the retailer’s convenience store network."
In a post shared on Facebook, local councillor Chris Johnson praised staff and highlighted their long service on the High Street.
He wrote: "Big thanks to all the staff over the years at Morrisons on Stokesley High Street.
"Wishing you all best in the future and hope you can all find another job soon.
"Let’s hope the property will be occupied soon in vibrant Stokesley."
The local councillor joined staff member Nathan Atkinson in a video reflecting on the store’s role in the town and its history on the High Street.
Mr Atkinson said the site had previously traded as a McColl’s for decades before being converted to Morrisons Daily, and spoke of the pleasure of serving regular customers and being part of community life.
He said: "It’s been lovely to serve everybody.
"I’ll remember so many of the regulars in years to come and hopefully I’ll see them again in whatever I do next.
"Serving the community and being part of people’s lives has been wonderful."
The closure will leave another vacant unit on Stokesley High Street, but residents have expressed hope that a new business will move in and keep the premises.
Morrisons has confirmed that the following seven Morrisons Daily stores are set to close in North Yorkshire and the North East, with further sites expected to follow:
- Queen Street, Redcar
- Zetland Road, Loftus
- Esk Close, Guisborough
- Stokesley High Street
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The retailer previously said it was consulting with staff facing redundancy and it would try and find other opportunities for them within the company.
It said: "We will also work hard to mitigate the impact on customers, continuing to serve them through other nearby stores and online.
"The combination of the proposed closure of loss-making stores and the continued addition of attractive new franchise openings will enable us to concentrate on those stores which work best for customers, improving the quality of our Convenience estate and making it stronger overall."
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