Sainsbury’s to abruptly close store doors within DAYS – but it’s not all bad news for shoppers

SAINSBURY’S is abruptly closing the doors of one supermarket within days – but it’s not all bad news for shoppers.

The supermarket’s store in Witney will pull down the shutters at 6pm on Saturday, November 11.

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However, the closure is only temporary and it’s to allow for the store to undergo refurbishment.

Once complete, the store will feature a host of new and extended ranges, a new Starbucks and a refurbished Sushi Gourmet counter serving hot and cold Japanese dishes.

It will reopen to shoppers at 9am on Black Friday (November 24).

Customers who regularly rely on Sainsbury’s click and collect services won’t face disruption during the store’s temporary closure.

The supermarket will set up a temporary facility in the store’s car park between November 12 and 23.

Keyur Patel, regional stores director at Sainsbury’s said: “We appreciate this is a project that involves a significant amount of change in and around the store and I’d like to thank everyone in the community for their support and patience while this work takes place.”

The Sun revealed earlier this week that Sainsbury’s plans to open at least fourteen new stores including a mix of ‘Local’ convenience shops and superstores.

But up to eight Local branches face closure by March 2024.

In its latest company results, Sainsbury’s revealed it had closed two convenience stores in the first half of the financial year and plans to close up to ten Sainsbury’s Locals in total in 2023/24.

Over the same period, the supermarket opened nine new stores including a new flagship store in Hook, Hampshire.

This also included three Sainsbury’s Locals in Manchester Islington Wharf, Crouch End The Broadway and Beam Park in Rainham, Essex.

The Sun now understands it is hoping to open at least 14 more stores by March 2024, starting from next week.

These include:

• A Sainsbury’s Local within the new Sherwood Library Development in Nottingham, opening next week
• A Sainsbury’s Local in the Mile End area of Colchester, Essex, at the end of November
• A Sainsbury’s Local in the Fairmilehead area of Edinburgh, opening before Christmas
• A Sainsbury’s Local in the Liverpool Waters development at Princes Dock, Liverpool, opening before Christmas
• A Sainsbury’s “Neighbourhood Hub” in Winchburgh, Scotland, opening early 2024
• A Sainsbury’s Superstore in Talbot Green, Wales, opening early 2024
• A Sainsbury’s Superstore in Southport, Merseyside, opening early 2024
• A Sainsbury’s Local in Lewisham, London by March 2024
• A Sainsbury’s Local in Tower Hamlets, London by March 2024
• A Sainsbury’s Local in Edgware, London, by March 2024
• A Sainsbury’s Local in Camberwell, London, by March 2024
• A Sainsbury’s Local in Erith, London, by March 2024
• A Sainsbury’s Local in Archway, London, by March 2024
• A Sainsbury’s Local in Yate, Gloucester, by March 2024

While no locations for upcoming store closures have been confirmed, its superstore in the Whitgift Centre in Croydon – once considered a flagship store – closed on September 16.

The remaining closures will happen by March 2024.

Sainsbury’s joins a number of retailers closing and opening large numbers of stores during what is a volatile period for the High Street.

Rival supermarkets M&S and Tesco are set to close a handful of stores by the end of the year.

However, M&S has announced plans to open seven new shops before Christmas including in Manchester, Birmingham and Uckfield, East Sussex.

Earlier this year, the Sun revealed bargain retailer Costco plans to open 14 new warehouses around the UK over the next two years in a major expansion for the chain.

This post first appeared on thesun.co.uk