Morrisons to Close 17 Stores in April and May Amid Major Restructuring
So, here’s what’s happening—Morrisons, one of the UK’s biggest supermarket chains, has just confirmed it will be closing down 17 of its Morrisons Daily stores in the coming weeks. Yep, you heard that right. In just a matter of days, many of these branches will shut their doors for good, and the impact is going to be felt in communities all over the country.
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Sixteen of the stores will officially close on Wednesday, April 16 , and one more in Haxby, North Yorkshire, is scheduled to close on May 14 . What makes this particularly tough is that 11 of these locations also house Post Offices—which are essential to many locals—and those too will be shutting down between April 9 and May 14. Some of the affected areas include Exeter, Tonbridge, Worle, Shenfield, Poole, and Goring-by-Sea.
Now, Morrisons Daily stores are those smaller, convenience-style shops with longer hours—kind of like your local corner shop but under the Morrisons name. And while they’ve served their communities well, the company is saying these closures are part of a broader strategy to cut costs and refocus their business where it matters most. The numbers speak for themselves—Morrisons has been feeling the pressure, with their market share dropping to just 8.5%.
In addition to the store closures, Morrisons is also pulling the plug on 52 of its in-store cafés, 35 meat and fish counters, four pharmacies, and all 18 of its Market Kitchen food courts. That’s a huge shift in how the company is choosing to operate moving forward, and unfortunately, it puts around 365 jobs at risk.
According to Morrisons’ CEO Rami Baitiéh, this is all part of their larger £1 billion cost-saving strategy. In just three months leading up to January 26, they managed to save £56 million and plan to complete the remaining £700 million target in the next quarter. But it’s not just about operational streamlining—Baitiéh pointed out that rising costs, especially around minimum wage and National Insurance contributions, are adding extra financial strain.
Now, understandably, this has left some local communities upset. In Worle, for instance, people have taken to social media to express their sadness. One local shared how her boyfriend works at the store and now doesn’t know what he’s going to do. In Haxby, MP Luke Charters called the closure "sad news" for residents who rely on the store and Post Office services daily.
Morrisons says they do "recognize the inconvenience" this will cause, and they’re sorry about the short notice. They’re also working with the Post Office to fill service gaps in the affected areas. Still, it’s clear this move is another big hit for Britain's already struggling high streets.
So, if you shop at one of these branches or rely on the in-store Post Office, you may want to double-check those closing dates and make alternative plans soon. This definitely feels like one of those moments where we’re watching a familiar part of everyday life shift right in front of us.
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