The future of Highbridge’s Co-Op store appears to be safe after the retailer said this week it is not among 298 shops being sold off by the firm to McColl’s in a multi-million pound deal.
There had been speculation that the Highbridge store in Southwell Crescent, pictured, may be included in the sell-off.
The £117m deal is part of the Co-op’s strategy to focus on larger stores of more than 3,000 sq ft. The stores to be sold average about 1,700 sq ft.
But the company confirmed to Burnham-On-Sea.com that the Highbridge store is not on the list of Co-op stores being sold to McColl’s.
The supermarket firm has become the most frequently visited food retailer in the UK with 200 stores opened in the last 24 months, and another 100 store acquisitions planned this year.
Co-op Food chief executive Steve Murrells said: “The Co-op Food business continues to move forward with a clear momentum and purpose to deliver a compelling and convenient shopping experience for our millions of customers and members.”
“The announcement is completely in line with our strategy, as these stores did not allow us to provide a sufficiently compelling own-brand offer for our members going forwards.” Burnham-on-Sea.com
Usdaw, the UK’s fourth biggest trade union, says it had been assured there would be no redundancies in the sale.
