Supermarket chain Morrisons will close more than 50 of its in-store cafes and a number of Morrisons Daily convenience stores across the UK, as part of a restructuring programme that will see over 3,600 jobs lost in the latest blow to the British high street.
The move comes as the retailer reports a return to profit for the first time since its 2021 private equity takeover, posting £2.1 billion pre-tax profit for the year ending October 27, 2024, compared to losses of £919 million the year before and £1.3 billion the year prior to that. A large part of that profit, £2.6 billion, was generated from the sale of its petrol forecourts to Motor Fuel Group.
While the forecourt sale accounted for much of the profit rebound, Morrisons' underlying performance also improved, with losses in continuing operations halving to £538 million from £1.09 billion.
The chain recorded a 3.9% rise in like-for-like sales and a 4.2% increase in total sales to £3.9 billion in the second quarter of its current financial year.
However, newly filed accounts at Companies House reveal the company has reduced its workforce from 104,819 to 101,144, with store staff, manufacturing, distribution, and head office roles all affected.
Chief Executive Rami Baitieh said the focus remained on providing value to customers during a challenging economic climate marked by inflation and subdued consumer spending.
Earlier this year, Morrisons confirmed it would shut 17 Morrisons Daily stores, with the final outlet in Haxby, North Yorkshire, closing on 14 May. It has also now confirmed the closure of more than 50 in-store cafés.
The closures are part of wider cost-cutting measures seen across the supermarket sector. Aldi, Tesco, and Sainsbury's have all announced job losses in recent months, with Sainsbury's also shutting all of its in-store cafés.
Morrisons Cafe ClosuresBradford Thornbury
Paisley Falside Road
London Queensbury
Portsmouth
Great Park
Banchory North Deeside Road
Failsworth Poplar Street
Blackburn Railway Road
Leeds Swinnow Road
London Wood Green
Kirkham Poulton Street
Lutterworth Bitteswell Road
Stirchley
Leeds Horsforth
London Erith
Crowborough
Bellshill John Street
Dumbarton Glasgow Road
East Kilbride Lindsayfield
East Kilbride Stewartfield
Glasgow Newlands
Largs Irvine Road
Troon Academy Street
Wishaw Kirk Road
Newcastle UT Cowgate
Northampton Kettering Road
Bromsgrove Buntsford Industrial Park
Solihull Warwick Road
Brecon Free Street
Caernarfon North Road
Hadleigh
London Harrow Hatch End
High Wycombe Temple End
Leighton Buzzard Lake Street
London Stratford
Sidcup Westwood Lane
Welwyn Garden City Black Fan Road
Warminster Weymouth Street
Oxted Station Yard
Reigate Bell Street
Borehamwood
Weybridge Monument Hill
Bathgate
Erskine Bridgewater Shopping Centre
Gorleston Blackwell Road
Connah's Quay
Mansfield Woodhouse
Elland
Gloucester Metz Way
Watford Ascot Road
Littlehampton Wick
Helensburgh
Bath Moorland Road
Exeter Sidwell Street
Goring-By-Sea Strand Parade
Gorleston Lowestoft Road
Great Barr Queslett Road
Haxby Village
Peebles Old Town
Poole Waterloo Estate
Romsey The Cornmarket
Selsdon Featherbed Lane
Shenfield Hutton Road
Stewarton Lainshaw Street
Tonbridge Higham Lane
Whickham Oakfield Road
Woking Westfield Road
Wokingham Peach Street
Worle
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