Morrisons: Local Closures?

[Sugar Tiler]

Today's announcement of the sacking of Morrisons' chief executive and closure of 10 loss making stores as part of the first wave of store closures is no surprise. The model of retail shopping is moving away from the large, superstore model.

 

It is rumoured that one of the possible hit list stores is the Hillsborough one. I find this difficult to believe - I use it regularly and it always seems busy - but it may be that a store of that size, and design, has large overheads.

 

Anyone have any concrete news, not just rumours?

[hyper]

I wouldn't be surprised. I heard that the opening of the nearby Aldi was costing them £50k/week in takings. There is now the new Sainsburys also adding more competition.

 

I don't think it seems busy - only at the checkouts where everything is concentrated into just a few open lanes. Walking round the store, it doesn't seem busy - a massive contrast to say Asda at Handsworth.

 

It would be a pity to see it close, as I use it a lot, but it wouldn't surprise me.

[tzijlstra]

I hope it doesn't close as we've finally got some competition in the area and it will be a shame if the Barracks lose their centrepiece. With regards to that store they should try and improve its appeal. I never understood the redesign (when they incorporated Peacocks) that effectively narrowed all/most aisles, another major bugbear is general bad management, the number of times I can't find pricing information on products at all is staggering, not just bad management but also illegal.

[DeBilde23]

I was actually told the Ecclesfield store would be closing to be become a warehouse for online deliveries.

[SaferSheff]

I doubt that would include Hillsborough or Woodseats.

 

They are always really busy and close at 11pm.

[Blue Day]

I was actually told the Ecclesfield store would be closing to be become a warehouse for online deliveries.

 

I use that daily and rarely seems busy - maybe Aldi up the road and Asda at Chap / Parson Cross have hit it?

[mda03cn]

I wouldn't be surprised at all if it was announced that Morrison's in Ecclesfield was closing. For the past few years there has been a decline in customer service and an increase in prices. The fresh produce usually has a very short date, fruit and veg isn't high quality.

 

The self service tills are temperamental to say the least. Quite a few members of staff are rude and continue personal conversations whilst attending to you. My personal bugbear is the cafe. I used to pop in frequently for a coffee with my daughter and parents. I don't visit anymore as I got fed up of being ignored, left waiting at the order point whilst staff walked past without acknowledgment. The food was either cold or had been waiting under lamp for so long it was congealed. It isn't even good value.

[geared]

I was actually told the Ecclesfield store would be closing to be become a warehouse for online deliveries.

 

I doubt it, it's not packed to the gunnels but it's quite a busy store.

I dont think there's the room there to build a big warehouse and the large truck park needed to take all the Lorries.

 

I can't see the locals being too impressed with that either, tons of lorries coming and going at all hours.

 

---------- Post added 13-01-2015 at 11:02 ----------

 

The self service tills are temperamental to say the least.

 

Thats incredibly generous, the self-service tills are a complete joke - and whoever instituted those models needs to be shown the door (if they haven't already been kicked out)

[GUZZIOWL]

I was actually told the Ecclesfield store would be closing to be become a warehouse for online deliveries.

 

I was told the same by a member of Staff over a Year ago ..

[No User Name]

I cant imagine a supermarket building is going to be logistically the best building to use for a warehouse operation, so I am calling bull on that rumour.