Newcastle Morrisons stores to lose services as supermarket announces UK closures and cuts

One of the UK’s largest supermarket chains has announced that up to 365 jobs could be at risk due to plans to close some of its cafes, convenience stores, florists, and fresh food counters.

Morrisons said these services were becoming more costly to operate than the revenue generated from customer spending.

While many of the impacted staff are expected to be redeployed to other roles within the company, around 365 employees are still at risk of redundancy.

Rami Baitieh, Morrisons’ chief executive, said the changes were a “necessary part of our plans to renew and reinvigorate” the chain and invest in areas that “customers really value”.

These closures will see jobs lost across the UK, including across the North East with shops across Newcastle and North Tyneside impacted.

The closures will affect 52 cafes, all 18 market kitchens, 17 Morrisons Daily convenience stores, 13 florists, 35 meat counters, 35 fish counters, and four pharmacies.

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One of these losses will come in Gateshead where the Morrisons Daily on Oakfield Road where the Whickham branch is set to close.

Elsewhere, Morrisons’ Cowgate branch in Newcastle will see its cafe close and the Tynemouth branch on Preston North Road in North Tyneside will lose its Market Kitchen.

The four pharmacy locations will not impact the North East, nor will the closure of the brand’s florists.

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