A MAJOR supermarket chain with 2,500 branches across the UK is set to shut one of its stores in weeks.
The branch will welcome in customers for the final time next month as locals and shoppers share their disappointment.
The Co-op branch in Honiton, East Devon, will close for good on March 15, The Midweek Herald reports.
Shoppers and locals have been left dismayed at the closure, with almost 200 writing thank you cards to staff at the branch.
Others have posted on Facebook sharing their disappointment the store will permanently shut.
One said: “We have to use the shops in Honiton. Use them or lose them.”
Another dejectedly said: “Another empty shop.”
Richard Foord, MP for Honiton and Sidmouth, has also weighed in, saying a number of locals had written to him concerned about the closure of the Co-op branch.
The closure comes with a further Co-op store in Oswestry, Shropshire, set to shut in July.
A site in Nottingham also closed permanently in November last year after 50 years.
It’s worth bearing in mind though, retailers often open and close stores based on customer demand and trends.
Central Co-op, which operates separately to the Co-operative Group, for example has pulled down the shutters on 16 shops since November.
[bc_video account_id=”5067014667001″ application_id=”” aspect_ratio=”16:9″ autoplay=”” caption=”Timberland Closure Sparks Shift in Glasgow’s High Street ” embed=”in-page” experience_id=”” height=”100%” language_detection=”” max_height=”360px” max_width=”640px” min_width=”0px” mute=”” padding_top=”56%” picture_in_picture=”” player_id=”default” playlist_id=”” playsinline=”” sizing=”responsive” video_id=”6368260052112″ video_ids=”” width=”640px”]Sites have closed in Leicester, Dudley, Broughton, Cromer and Peterborough.
However, it has opened five new stores and is in the process of refurbishing 35 other branches and 15 funeral homes.
The Sun asked Co-op to comment.
[authenticated-scripts src=”%3Cscript%20class%3D%22palin-poll%22%20src%3D%22https%3A%2F%2Fwww.thesun.co.uk%2Fpollingwidgets%2Fv3%2Fwidget.js%3Fquestion_id%3D106876%26game%3Dpolling%22%3E%3C%2Fscript%3E” type=”embedded” width=”100″ /]HIGH STREET STRUGGLES
The high street has struggled in recent years as the trend towards online shopping intensifies.
The most recent data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) shows online retail sales increased from 5% of all retail sales in 2008 to 27% in 2022.
Shoppers have also been feeling the pinch following surging inflation which has dented their budgets.
The Centre for Retail Research said in 2024 alone more than 13,000 shops closed across the UK.
The vast majority of these stores were independent though, with only around 2,000 shops owned by larger chains shutting.
Some major supermarket chains are increasing the number of stores they operate across the UK too.
Aldi and Lidl both want to open hundreds of stores between them while Home Bargains has plans to open hundreds of shops.