Morrisons to close 132 ‘loss-making’ McColls stores - full list of which Bristol stores will go

Supermarket giant, Morrisons has proposed closing 132 McColls convenience stores across the country, including five in the Bristol region - putting dozens of jobs at risk. Earlier this year, in May, Morrisons saved 18 McColls after the business had entered administration, several have since been revamped as Morrisons Dailies.

On Tuesday (November 1), Morrisons unveiled its plans to shake up McColls as regulators prepared to greenlight its takeover. In a statement, 132 stores were deemed to be “loss-making”, earmarking them for closure.

It read: “A number of McColl’s stores have been loss-making for some time and although some of these stores will be able to return to profitability over time, there are 132 stores where there is no realistic prospect of achieving a breakeven position in the medium term. The majority of these 132 stores will now be closed in an orderly fashion over the remainder of the year.”

The decision to axe these stores places around 1,300 retail workers at risk of redundancy - including tens of Bristol employees. Of the 132 stores set to close, five are Bristol-based, these are:

• Cribbs Causeway, The Mall
• Stockwood, Hollway Road
• Stapleton, Frome Valley Road
• Bedminster, North Street
• Portishead, High Street

Morrisons is yet to set a closure date though 55 stores with adjoining post offices are expected to trade over the Christmas period. This would include Bedminster’s North Street store. The store’s manager, Sophie McColl shared the news of the site’s closure on Facebook.

Ms McColl posted: “I had to attend a critical business announcement this morning and unfortunately have been told that this store will be closing after Christmas.

“Myself, my deputy Kellie and all of my team are absolutely gutted by this news. As soon as I get a confirmed closing date I will, of course update you all as well as there will be notices in the shop.”