Morrisons is set to shut more than 50 of its cafes and several Morrisons Daily convenience stores across the UK, resulting in a loss of more than 3,600 jobs in another hit to the British high street.
This comes as the retailer announced a return to profit for the first time since its 2021 private equity takeover. The supermarket chain boasted a pre-tax profit of £2.1 billion for the year ending October 27, 2024, a stark contrast to losses of £919 million the previous year and £1.3 billion the year before that.
A significant chunk of this profit, £2.6 billion, came from the sale of its petrol forecourts to Motor Fuel Group. It comes after Gordon Brown blasts the return of 'poverty of 60 years ago' as he makes one big demand.
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While the forecourt sale was a major contributor to the profit rebound, Morrisons' underlying performance also saw improvement, with losses in continuing operations being cut in half to £538 million from £1.09 billion.
The chain reported a 3.9 per cent 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, recent filings at Companies House reveal that the company has downsized its workforce from 104,819 to 101,144, affecting store staff, manufacturing, distribution, and head office roles.
Chief Executive Rami Baitieh said the focus remains on delivering value to customers amid a challenging economic climate characterised by inflation and subdued consumer spending.
In an earlier statement, the CEO said: "Against the backdrop of a challenging macro environment, with inflation driving subdued consumer sentiment, value remains at the forefront of customers' minds.
"Throughout the first half, we've worked hard on helping customers through these challenges with a rigorous focus on price, promotions and meaningful rewards for loyalty."
Earlier this year, Morrisons announced the closure of 17 Morrisons Daily stores, with the last one in Haxby, North Yorkshire, shutting its doors on 14 May. The supermarket giant has also confirmed that over 50 in-store cafés will be closing down.
These closures are part of a broader cost-cutting trend seen across the supermarket industry. Aldi, Tesco, and Sainsbury's have all reported job cuts in recent months, with Sainsbury's also closing 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
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