A MAJOR supermarket with 2,500 stores nationwide will shut up shop today.
The Co-op in Peacehaven’s Meridian Shopping Centre, East Sussex, will welcome revellers for the final time before it pulls the plug.
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Locals mourned the loss, with many taking to Facebook to air their frustrations.
“This is a pain, I might not be able to get the dog food I want from Tesco,” one shopper fumed.
Plans for a new shopping area were approved by Lewes District Council’s planning committee on Wednesday, April 19, and included a Morrisons superstore as well as other retail sites, a library and a town square.
It is not yet known if Co-op workers will be made redundant, however it is claimed the development will ensure 390 new jobs in the town.
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“Co-op’s food store is continuing to serve the community from the Centre until 20th Jan 2024,” a Co-op spokesperson said.
“Colleagues are being fully supported. Co-op remains committed to serving the area, and operates a number of stores nearby including in South Coast Road, Peacehaven.”
The high street has been hit hard in recent years as shoppers increasingly turn to online retail and away from physical branches.
Figures from the British Retail Consortium reveal 6,000 retail outlets have closed their doors for good in the last five years.
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The trade association said the closures are in part due to “crippling” business rates and the impact of Covid lockdowns.
This comes after a series of closures were announced by the Co-op group in 2023.
The chain closed its branches in Princess Drive, Grantham, in Linthorpe Village, Middlesbrough, and Lodge Lane, Bridgnorth in January.
Its branch in Folkestone Central Train station was also shut for renovation in the same month.
The supermarket in Ombersley Road, Claines, was planned for closure in March this year although a date was not confirmed at the time.
The branch in Castle House, Sheffield, was shuttered for good on July 22, although nearby stores in Broad Lane and Glossop Road remaining open.
The chain’s branch in Mildenhall Road, Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk, closed on August 19.
And on October 28, 2023, four unlucky Co-op stores closed due to the shopping giant Tesco buying them out and taking over.
A number of well-known brands were also rocked last year, with Cath Kidston, Wilko and Paperchase all going into administration.
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Other chains have survived but have still had to close branches, including Sainsbury’s and New Look.
