Major supermarket chain to close butcher and fresh fish counter next week in blow to shoppers

A MAJOR supermarket will close its butcher and fish counter at one of its stores tomorrow in a blow to shoppers.

The move is part of a major overhaul as the supermarket begins to shut cafes, counters and shops across the UK due to rising costs.

PAMorrisons is set to close its butcher and fish counters at its store in Herne Bay[/caption]

It is understood that the shop in Beach Street, Herne Bay, will close the counters for good on April 28.

The shop is one of the first to see these popular services axed, with many expected to follow in the coming weeks. 

Shoppers have taken to social media to voice their disappointment.

One said: “Oh no….love their meat and fish counter and the staff are so friendly and helpful. Sad news.”

Another said: “I am really sorry to hear this. It was bad enough losing Morrisons in Faversham.

“The butcher at both branches have supplied us with quality meat at reasonable prices for years. It was always the reason we chose to shop at Morrisons.

“Thank you to the staff for their excellent service.”

Morrisons last month announced that it will shut 52 cafes, 17 Morrisons Daily stores and axe a number of in-store services.

The retailer said 18 Market Kitchens, 13 florists, 35 meat counters, 35 fish counters and four pharmacies will shut.

The shake-up will be rolled out over the coming months and will put 365 workers at risk.

When the changes were announced Rami Baitiéh, chief executive of Morrisons, said they would “reinvigorate” the supermarket.

He said: “In most locations the Morrisons Café has a bright future, but a minority have specific local challenges and in those locations, regrettably, closure and re-allocation of the space is the only sensible option.”

He went on to describe Market Street as a “beacon of differentiation for Morrisons, although the supermarket continues to remain committed to it.”

Mr Baitiéh added: “But as we modernise we are making some necessary changes to the areas of the model which are simply uneconomic.

“In some stores where we are closing counters or Cafés, we plan to work with third parties to provide a relevant specialist offer.”

The full list of cafes that will close include:

Bradford Thornbury Paisley Falside Rd London Queensbury Portsmouth Great Park Banchory North Deeside Rd Failsworth Poplar Street Blackburn Railway Road Leeds Swinnow Rd London Wood Green Kirkham Poulton St Lutterworth Bitteswell Rd Stirchley Leeds Horsforth London Erith Crowborough Bellshill John St Dumbarton Glasgow Rd East Kilbride Lindsayfield East Kilbride Stewartfield Glasgow Newlands Largs Irvine Rd Troon Academy St Wishaw Kirk Rd Newcastle UT Cowgate Northampton Kettering Road Bromsgrove Buntsford Ind Pk Solihull Warwick Rd Brecon Free St Caernarfon North Rd Hadleigh London – Harrow – Hatch End High Wycombe Temple End Leighton Buzzard Lake St London Stratford Sidcup Westwood Lane Welwyn Garden City Black Fan Rd Warminster Weymouth St Oxted Station Yard Reigate Bell St Borehamwood Weybridge – Monument Hill Bathgate Erskine Bridgewater SC Gorleston Blackwell Road Connah’s Quay Mansfield Woodhouse Elland Gloucester – Metz Way Watford – Ascot Road Littlehampton – Wick Helensburgh

Meanwhile, the following Morrisons Daily convenience stores will close: 

Gorleston Lowestoft Road Peebles 3-5 Old Town Shenfield 214 Hutton Road Poole Waterloo Estate Tonbridge Higham Lane Est Romsey The Cornmarket Stewarton Lainshaw Street Selsdon Featherbed Lane Haxby Village Great Barr Queslett R Whickham Oakfield Road Worle Goring-By-Sea Strand Para Woking Westfield Road Wokingham 40 Peach Street Exeter 51 Sidwell Street Bath Moorland Road

The closures come after Mr Baitiéh criticised the upcoming hikes to employer National Insurance Contributions (NICs) and the national minimum wage.

From this month businesses must pay a higher rate of NICs after the Government pushed up the rate from 13.8% to 15%.

It is understood that the hikes will add around £75million to Morrisons’ costs.

Mr Baitiéh said: “The National Insurance change adds insult to injury.

“The problem is that it’s an avalanche of costs that is coming all at once.”

The supermarket has already sold off its petrol stations and cut costs by £200million to lower its debt pile.

The boss also said he would close two food factories.

Which other supermarkets are axing services?

Sainsbury’s said in January that it would axe 61 in-store cafes this year.

The retailer also said it would close its remaining patisserie, bakery, rotisserie and pizza counters at bigger branches.

Popular items that are sold by these counters will be moved to shelves elsewhere in stores.

Shoppers will still be able to get hold of family favourites including Hovis bread and Mr Kipling cakes and self-service bread slicing machines will be brought in.

Chicken that is usually sold at rotisserie counters will be moved to hot cabinets next to sandwich fridges.

Tesco also axed its delis and hot food counters in 2023.

The decision came after the retailer said it had seen a big drop in demand for these counters in the previous years.

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