Following the takeover of McColl’s by Morrisons, there are questions over the future of existing McColl’s stores, such as the one on Moorcroft Road in Woodthorpe.

The Competition and Markets Authority announced on 27 October that Morrisons’ acquisition of McColl’s from administration has been cleared. Morrisons subsequently issued a press release which stated that for 132 McColls stores where there is no realistic prospect of achieving a breakeven position in the medium term, the majority of these stores will be closed in an orderly fashion over the remainder of the year.

The Morrisons press release went on to say “Of the 132 stores that will close, 55 include a Post Office counter. Recognising the particular importance of the community Post Office counters to their local areas, especially around Christmas, Morrisons will delay the closure of these 55 stores until next year to enable them to serve their communities through Christmas and to allow the Post Office additional time to make alternative arrangements. We are currently working with the Post Office to see if nearby McColl’s or Morrisons stores could be part of the solution and we are currently looking at a number of potential stores for replacement Post Office counters.”

Dringhouses & Woodthorpe Lib Dem councillor Stephen Fenton has asked Morrisons to clarify whether the Woodthorpe store is among the 55 stores with a Post Office counter that have been earmarked for closure.

Stephen said “Back in 2019 the local Lib Dem team campaigned to save Post Office services after the Woodthorpe Post Office closed down. The campaign had a successful outcome when Post Office services were accommodated within the McColl’s store. We are now faced with the prospect of losing not only Post Office services, but also the only convenience store serving this part of Woodthorpe, with the next closest being Costcutter store on Wains Grove and the Tesco Express store on Acomb Wood Drive, neither of which has a Post Office counter.

“The news that Morrisons was taking over McColl’s was welcomed by many, with the store on Gale Lane already having been converted into a Morrisons Daily store. But there are now concerns that the Woodthorpe McColl’s store might be among the 132 earmarked for closure, and so I have written to Morrisons to ask for clarification on this as soon as possible.”

UPDATE – a list of the 132 stores that are apparently to be closed has been published by The Mirror newspaper. The Woodthorpe store is not listed, but Stephen has asked Morrisons to confirm the accuracy of this list.