Major supermarket chain with over 2,500 stores confirms exact date it will shut ‘nice quality’ branch

A MAJOR supermarket chain with 2,500 stores has confirmed the exact date it will shut a "nice quality" branch temporarily.

The Co-op  in Crowthorne Village, Berkshire, is set to close on August 2.

The store is shuttering for 10 weeks while the interior is refurbished.

However the good news is that the full closure is initially only ten days. The shop will re-open on August 12 as a community store.

The community store, a smaller pop up shop just for essentials, will stay open for eight weeks.

But there will then be a period of three weeks where customers are left with no shop as the refurbished store is stocked.

A member of staff posted a message on Facebook which read: "I have seen the plans for the new shop and it looks a great design as a team we are excited for this new look."

One delighted customer wrote: "I'm glad they're not closing permanently."

While another added: "Amazing news."

Meanwhile Co-op permanently shut its store in Meir, Stoke-on-Trent  on July 13.

However, the decision went down badly with customers in the town.

One commented on : "Supported this store for years and then they are closing it.

"Another kick in the backside for loyal customers and staff."

Others took to social media to vent their frustration.

Another local added: "Always packed when I've driven past."

And a third said: "Sad times."

Instead, customers will have to look to the Nisa store across the road, with the franchise also part of the Co-op Group.

Fortunately for staff, it is understood that all the jobs from the closed branch will be transferred to that store.

A spokesman for the supermarket previously said: "Co-op regularly reviews its stores and the decision to sell any store is only taken after careful consideration.

"Our Meir store is being sold and a key priority has been to safeguard local jobs.

"Colleagues, who have been informed and are being fully supported, will transfer to the new operator.

"The new store will operate as a Nisa store, meaning that Co-op favourite products will remain available locally.

"We would like to thank the Meir community for their support of the Co-op."

It comes after Co-op, which has around 2,500 locations, shut down another branch in Swindon earlier this year.

Meanwhile, The Co-op in Peacehaven's Meridian Shopping Centre, East Sussex, pulled the plug in the new year amid fresh redevelopment plans.

Some retailers have closed a few branches here and there for various reasons, like when a store lease has come to an end.

Other examples of one-off rather than widespread closures is if there are changes in the area, like a shopping centre closing, and in some cases a shop will close to relocate to another area.

Some chains have faced tougher conditions though, forcing them to shut dozens of stores, or all of them in the worst case.