Morrisons is to shut the café in its Crowborough store, it has been revealed today.
The café is one of 52 as well as 17 convenience stores across the UK that the supermarket chain says will close over the next few months as it struggles to reduce costs. The move puts hundreds of jobs at risk.
The retailer will also close a number of in-store services, including some meat and fish counters, pharmacies and all its market kitchens in an attempt to redirect cash to other parts of the business. Crowborough is not on the list of pharmacies facing the axe, but it is unclear whether the meat and fish counter will stay.
The retailer has come under significant pressure from the growth of discounter rivals, and was overtaken by Aldi as the UK’s fourth biggest supermarket chain in 2022.
Morrisons said most staff affected by the changes were expected to be redeployed, but around 365 employees would be at risk of redundancy.
The other closures include 52 cafes, 13 florists, 35 meat counters, 35 fish counters, four pharmacies and all 18 market kitchens, which are small food courts that offer freshly made meals to take away.
A spokesperson for the company said: “The changes we are announcing today are a necessary part of our plans to renew and reinvigorate Morrisons and enable us to focus our investment into the areas that customers really value and that can play a full part in our growth.”
With thanks to Nigel Peacock