Major UK supermarket Co-op has closed one of its key stores this weekend in a blow to locals. The supermarket group – which has over 2,500 stores across the country – shut its branch in Honiton, East Devon on Saturday, March 15.
Locals were frustrated by the announcement and several people wrote to their local MP in a bid to prevent it. Richard Foord, MP for Honiton and Sidmouth, said on his Facebook page: “Several people have written to me concerned about the closure of Honiton’s Co-op – due on 15th March.”
Foord also noted that he had written to the supermarket’s Chief Executive about the closure. He added: “This is not only a disappointment for residents but also for supporters of Honiton Fairtrade , who had an excellent launch event last year.”
Last month, Co-Op set up a stall outside the Lace Walk high street branch inviting customers to sign cards to show their appreciation for the workers. Nearly 200 customers took up the opportunity to write thank-you cards to the store’s staff The Midweek Herald reports. It is not known how many workers are affected by the closure. One told The Midweek Herald: “I used to work at the Co-op, and in fact, I met my partner Mark there.”
Another shopper shared: “I have always made a point of shopping at Co-ops wherever I have lived across the South of England because it’s part of my culture; I believe in the Co-op. Now I can’t drive, and I won’t be able to get to a Co-op store any more”.
Honiton Fairtrade said: “We filled 10 thank you cards this morning outside the Co op…over 100 people signed( first names only). Thank you to everyone who stopped and for you all being so positive. It was a lovely experience for the six of us who ran it.
“The Co-op staff said it gave them a great feeling people wanted to thank them. We gave them two delicious sponge cakes from Mrs Fowler the egg lady to share over the next few days.
“Thank you to all the Co-op shoppers who stopped to sign our 10 thank you cards to the lovely staff team in the Co op yesterday. We enjoyed meeting you and counted up names on the cards…174 in 2 hours! We will give the cards to the staff this week. On Saturday we gave them cake!
“We’ve scanned the cards and will send to Co-op’s Head Office to show many Honiton people don’t want to lose the Co op from our town. [We will] thank the lovely staff and express our sadness the store is closing and we’re losing such a great provider of Fairtrade products. Honiton as a recognised Fairtrade Town will be the poorer for this closure.”
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More customers took to social media to share their feelings on the store’s closure. One person wrote on Facebook: “We have to use the shops in Honiton. Use them or lose them.” A second said, “Another empty shop.”
And it’s not the only one shutting up shop – another branch in Oswestry, Shropshire, is set to close in July. Central Co-op, which runs separately from the Co-operative Group, has also been axing stores, shutting 16 since November. Branches in Leicester, Dudley, Broughton, Cromer, and Peterborough have also all disappeared.
The Burchester Place branch in Banbury, Oxfordshire closed for the final time on March 5. Although it is not all doom and gloom as earlier this year, the Co-op group announced that it planned to open up 75 new stores this year. . Co-op said 25 of the new stores will be operated by the retailer, while the rest will be franchised. It came as part of wider plans to open 120 new Co-ops over the next four years.
The supermarket chain is also refurbishing 80 existing stores this year. Some of the stores that will relaunch following major makeovers in early 2025 include those in Exeter, Brighton, Bristol, Cambridgeshire, Hampshire, Avonmouth, Hereford, and Clapham.
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