Community takes on retail giant to save local shop

A south Bristol community is taking on a supermarket giant in a bid to keep their local shop open.

Morrisons, which owns the McColl’s network of convenience stores, announced plans to axe 132 “unprofitable” branches across the country – including five in Bristol.

The grocer wants to convert most of its remaining stores into Morrisons Daily shops as it tries to revive the chain’s fortunes.

But a store manager along with south Bristol residents are urging Morrisons to rethink closing a store on North Street. They say the shop, which also houses a Post Office counter, is a lifeline for local people.

Morrisons has proposed closing 132 McColls convenience stores across the country, including five in the Bristol region

Store manager Sophie has launched a petition to keep Bedminster’s McColl’s open, writing on Facebook “we aren’t giving up without a fight.”

Sophie wrote: “If you haven’t already, please pop in and sign our petition! We have had hundreds of signatures so far. Yes, some of you may think ‘ahhh a petition won’t do anything’. Well, you don’t know until you try.”

Morrisons said all of the stores set to close were “loss-making” and had “no realistic prospect” of recovering soon. The company said workers at risk of redundancy “will be offered alternative employment at a nearby McColl’s store, Morrisons store, logistics operation or food-making centre”.

The stores planned to close in Bristol are:

• Cribbs Causeway, BS34 5GG
• Stockwood, BS14 8PG
• Stapleton, BS16 1HD
• Bedminsiter, BS3 1JA
• Portishead, BS20 6A

The store’s manager, Sophie, shared the news of the site’s closure on Facebook

Posting on Facebook on the day the closures were announced, store manager Sophie wrote: “It’s been a horrible day.

“I just want to thank you all for your continued support over the last five months, when the news broke that McColls gone into administration.

“I really thought our jobs were safe and your local shop/post office was safe.

“I have enjoyed every moment being store manager for your store, seeing all your friendly faces and having a good old laugh and chat with the regular customers.

“Please continue to come in up until the day we close. The final opening day will be a very sad day for us all.”

Post office manager Lucy Cichy added: “As the post office manager, I want to echo what Sophie has said, and thank you all for the support you have shown. Sophie and the team have really turned the shop around, and it’s devastating to see them just tear it away from the team. It has been a pleasure working along side them.

Joseph Sutton, director of Morrisons wholesale, said: “We very much regret the proposed closure of 132 loss-making stores but it is, very sadly, an important step towards the regeneration of the business.”

Supporters can sign the petition in store until November 30. The last day of trading for the Post Office will be on January 13.

All photos: Betty Woolerton

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