A SUPERMARKET giant with over 2,500 outlets nationwide has shut up shop for good.
The Co-op in Peacehaven’s Meridian Shopping Centre, East Sussex, is set to pull the plug in the new year amid fresh redevelopment plans.
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A sign placed on the door of the supermarket has informed locals they have just under three weeks before the store closes down its shutters.
The supermarket’s last day will be Saturday, January 20.
Plans for a new shopping area were approved by Lewes District Council’s planning committee on Wednesday, April 19, and included a Morrisons superstore as well as other retail sites, a library and a town square.
Morrisons first revealed its plans in 2021 and works are expected to begin in early 2024.
It is not yet known if Co-op workers will be made redundant, however it is claimed the development will ensure 390 new jobs in the town.
“Co-op’s food store is continuing to serve the community from the Centre until 20th Jan 2024,” a Co-op spokesperson said.
“Colleagues are being fully supported. Co-op remains committed to serving the area, and operates a number of stores nearby including in South Coast Road, Peacehaven.”
This comes after a series of closures were announced by the Co-op group earlier this year.
The chain closed its branches in Princess Drive, Grantham, in Linthorpe Village, Middlesbrough, and Lodge Lane, Bridgnorth in January.
Its branch in Folkestone Central Train station was also shut for renovation in the same month.
The supermarket in Ombersley Road, Claines, was planned for closure in March this year although a date was not confirmed at the time.
The branch in Castle House, Sheffield, was shuttered for good on July 22, although nearby stores in Broad Lane and Glossop Road remaining open.
The chain’s branch in Mildenhall Road, Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk, closed on August 19.
And on October 28, 2023, four unlucky Co-op stores closed due to the shopping giant Tesco buying them out and taking over.
These were the stores in Uplands Road in Oadby, Bramcote Lane in Wollaton, Springfield Road in Rugeley and Downing Drive in Leicester.
Large supermarket chains have been hit hard in recent years as customers have begun to turn their attentions to online shopping.
The trend was exacerbated by the coronavirus pandemic, which saw households forced to stay at home.
That, combined with higher energy and wage costs for companies, has led to a number of stores closing for good.
