The Post Office has confirmed that 52 branches located within Morrisons stores are set to close this summer, following Morrisons' announcement that it will shut approximately 100 of its struggling Morrisons Daily convenience stores. The closures come as part of a broader restructuring by the supermarket chain, which acquired McColl's in 2022 for £190 million. Morrisons cited rising employment costs as a key factor, describing the cuts and associated job losses as a "tough but necessary decision."
Impact on Post Office network
According to Better Retailing, the closures could bring the Post Office network close to falling below the Labour government's minimum requirement of 11,500 branches. The affected branches are spread across England, Scotland, and Wales, including locations in Birmingham, Bristol, Cardiff, and Newcastle upon Tyne. Morrisons, which competes with Lidl, Aldi, Sainsbury's, Tesco, and Asda, stated that the stores had been unprofitable for several years.
Full list of closing branches
The following Morrisons Daily Post Office branches are scheduled to close later this year:
- Avon Drive Post Office, Bedford
- Bewdley Post Office, Bewdley
- Blackwater Post Office, Camberley
- Brigg Post Office, Brigg
- Burpham Post Office, Guildford
- Calne Post Office, Calne
- Chalfont St Peter Post Office, Gerrards Cross
- Church Road Post Office, London
- Clerkhill Post Office, Peterhead
- Coley Park Post Office, Reading
- Crown Wood Post Office, Bracknell
- Darras Hall Post Office, Newcastle Upon Tyne
- Defoe Parade Post Office, Grays
- Downend Post Office, Bristol
- Edinburgh Road Post Office, Jarrow
- Fairfax Avenue Post Office, Hull
- Fleet Post Office, Fleet
- Goldsworth Park Post Office, Woking
- Great Baddow Post Office, Chelmsford
- Greystoke Avenue Post Office, Bristol
- Grove Hill Post Office, Hemel Hempstead
- Hallgrove Post Office, Welwyn Garden City
- Hassocks Post Office, Hassocks
- Heatherside Post Office, Heatherside
- Horley Post Office, Horley
- Hundredstone Post Office, Yeovil
- Ifield Drive Post Office, Crawley
- Jansel Square Post Office, Aylesbury
- Leominster Post Office, Leominster
- Locks Bottom Post Office, Orpington
- Longfield Post Office, Longfield
- Luton Post Office, Chatham
- Manston Drive Post Office, Bishops Stortford
- Marshalswick Post Office, St Albans
- Montague Avenue Post Office, Southampton
- Murch Post Office, Dinas Powys
- New Ash Green Post Office, Longfield
- New Milton Post Office, New Milton
- North Parade Post Office, Chessington
- Radyr Post Office, Cardiff
- Riverview Park Post Office, Gravesend
- Rochford Post Office, Rochford
- Shortstown Post Office, Bedford
- Stephenson Square Post Office, Walsall
- Surbiton Post Office, Surbiton
- Taunton Road Post Office, Bridgwater
- Thatcham Post Office, Thatcham
- The Neighbourhood Centre Post Office, Poole
- The Oval Post Office, Stevenage
- West Park Post Office, Plymouth
- Whipton Post Office, Exeter
- Woodthorpe Post Office, York
Broader context
The closures are part of a wider trend affecting the Post Office network, which has seen a reduction in branches in recent years. The Labour government has set a minimum requirement of 11,500 branches to ensure community access, but these closures could push the network close to that threshold. Morrisons has not disclosed the exact number of job losses, but the decision is expected to affect staff at both the convenience stores and the Post Office counters.
