Morrisons set to close 132 McColl's stores after takeover

Approximately 1,300 jobs will be at risk if the decision of the supermarket chain of rebranding and shutting locations goes through.

Back in May, Morrisons bought the collapsed convenience chain McColl’s by paying out a total of £190 million. The acquisition included the brand’s 1,160 stores and now the supermarket company has announced plans to close 132 of its loss-making locations, putting 1,300 jobs at risk.

According to a recent report by the BBC, the company plans to rebrand its remaining McColl's stores into Morrisons Daily. Workers who could be made redundant are set to be offered other positions in the sector.

A total of 286 sites are currently operating under the Morrisons Daily brand and McColl's network is distributed throughout England, Scotland and Wales. The firm stated that the 132 shops planned to be closed had “no realistic prospect” of recovery in the short period.

The retailer confirmed that it will delay the closure of these stores until next year in order to let them serve their respective communities during Christmas. McColl's business currently registers an annual turnover of £1.2bn and represents 0.8% of the UK grocery market, the firm detailed.

"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," said Joseph Sutton, Director of Morrisons wholesale.