Morrisons Shake-Up: Cafés, Counters, and Confusion
Okay, so this is a bit of a bombshell. Morrisons, that familiar face on the high street, announced in late March 2025 that they're closing a whole bunch of their cafés, convenience stores, and specialist counters. We're talking dozens of locations across the UK, and hundreds of jobs hanging in the balance. Honestly, who saw that coming?
The official word? It's happening "over the next few months." Helpful, right? No specific dates yet, leaving everyone – customers and staff – pretty much in limbo.
Just How Many Morrisons Are Closing?
Let's talk numbers. We're talking 52 cafés (a dozen in Scotland alone!), 17 Morrisons Daily convenience stores (two in Scotland), and all 18 of their Market Kitchen outlets. And that's not all! They're also shutting down 13 florists, four pharmacies, and a whopping 70 fresh food counters – 35 meat and 35 fish. It's a significant shake-up.
To find out if your local Morrisons is affected, you'll have to check their website for the full list. (link to list if available)
Why the Big Changes?
Morrisons CEO Rami Baitiéh explained that they did a deep dive into their operations, and it turns out some things just weren't cutting it. Apparently, the cost of running certain services far outweighed what customers were actually using them for. Their plan now is to refocus on what people actually want and invest in things that will help the business grow.
It's a tough pill to swallow, especially knowing that around 365 jobs are on the line. But Morrisons says they're doing their best to find new roles within the company for as many affected employees as possible.
What's Next for Morrisons?
So, while some Morrisons cafes and counters are going, they insist that the majority of their stores will still be thriving. They're even considering teaming up with other businesses to fill some of the empty spaces. This whole thing is part of a bigger shift in the supermarket world – everyone's trying to be more efficient and adapt to how people shop these days.
If you rely on any of the services that are closing, you might want to get there while you still can!
The Customer Reaction - A Mixed Bag
Online, people are having a lot of different reactions. Some are sad to see their favourite cafes or convenient local spots go. Others are worried about the direction Morrisons is heading in since it was acquired in 2021. This whole thing really highlights how tough things are for supermarkets right now.
It's a complicated situation, and it'll be interesting to see how it all plays out. One thing's for sure: the grocery game is changing fast.
