Community pleads with Morrisons to reconsider closure of ‘lifeline’ McColl’s shop

Beauchief and Greenhill councillor Richard Shaw visited the McColl’s shop on Hutcliffe Wood Road on Sunday, November 20 – its last day of trading – to send a message urging the chief executive of the supermarket giant to think again.

Coun Shaw called it the “end of an era” and, in a letter he sent to CEO David Potts, he said: “This store has served our community for many years, both as a McColl’s and previously as a Co-Op. It provides a vital service for people in the area, particularly those older or less mobile residents who cannot travel far, who do not have access to a vehicle or would need to travel by bus or taxi to the nearest convenience store.

“There are older residents in our community who visit the store every day for their essentials and who are now deeply worried about losing their independence by having to rely on family or friends to take them to shops further away.

“This store is a key part of the local shopping area, helping to sustain this community hub, providing local employment and helping to reduce the amount of motor travel by local people to more distant shops, thereby reducing CO2 emissions, air pollution and improving road safety in our community.

“I implore you to reconsider the closure of this store, or to at least not do so until it can be sold as a going-concern to another business.”

Around 500 people signed a petition to keep the store open but Morrisons was insistent on its closure.

Responding to Coun Shaw’s plea, a spokesperson for Morrisons said: “We very much regret the closure of some McColl’s stores, but a number of them have been loss-making for some time and there are 132 stores where there is no realistic prospect of achieving a break even position in the medium term including the store on Hutcliffe Wood Road.”

Community campaign

A petition to prevent the closure was launched by Emily Sutton-Ruseva who said this was the only accessible shop without relying on public transport or taxis for many in the S8 postcode area of Sheffield.

Many of the hundreds of people who signed the petition commented in support.

Alison Newby said: “The shop is of huge importance to the local residents, many of whom are elderly and, or disabled. My dad visits almost every day. The thought of having to travel by bus or taxi for a newspaper or a pint of milk is worrying him greatly.”

Victoria Butterell called it a “lifeline” for the community.

William Horner commented: “Beauchief would be losing its only general store. When communities lose vital hubs like this, sooner or later they cease to be communities.”

Others added that the staff were wonderful.

Hundreds of McColl’s shops close

The closure of 132 McColl’s shops across the country – including five in South Yorkshire – put 1,300 jobs at risk, just months after Morrisons bought the company.

Morrisons said it was a sad but important step towards regenerating the business.