The proposed closures, announced after staff consultations on Thursday, affect stores that are reportedly loss-making and described by the Bradford supermarket chain as “the most challenged” in its retail estate.
Morrisons has been contacted to see if any Bradford district supermarkets will be affected. It is not clear at this stage which supermarkets will shut.
Morrisons is ‘part of the fabric of our city’
Naz Shah, Labour MP for Bradford West, expressed just how much Morrisons means to the city of Bradford. She added that she has an upcoming meeting with its Chief Executive.
She said: “Morrisons is a great pride of Bradford, founded here, headquartered here, and part of the fabric of our city. The closure of 100 stores and the impact on hundreds of jobs is deeply concerning.
“I have a meeting scheduled with the Chief Executive where I will be raising the importance of protecting jobs at the Bradford headquarters and discussing how I can support the company through representation to government. When businesses like Morrisons face mounting cost pressures, it is our responsibility to also try to understand those concerns.
“We all want to see Morrisons continue to grow and thrive in Bradford.”
The Labour MP for Bradford South, Judith Cummins, aired her concerns for the individuals who will be directly impacted by this decision.
‘Deeply unsettling’
Ms Cummins said: “This is obviously very worrying news for Morrisons staff and their families. While it is not yet clear whether any Bradford South stores will be affected, the uncertainty alone will be deeply unsettling for workers locally.
“I will be writing to the company’s chief executive to seek urgent clarity on whether jobs in Bradford are at risk, and I have also contacted the trade union USDAW to discuss these issues and how we can work together to support those affected.”
Imran Hussain MP keen to protect jobs
Labour MP for Bradford East Imran Hussain added that he felt it “disappointing” that a Bradford-based company is in this position.
Mr Hussain said: “I recently met with Morrisons and raised a number of important concerns directly with them, including protecting jobs in Bradford and the company’s long-term commitment to the community and workforce here.
“During any consultation process, I will continue to liaise closely with Morrisons and urge them to protect jobs here in Bradford.”
Robbie Moore MP blames the government
The T&A also approached Conservative MP for Keighley and Ilkley Robbie Moore.
In his statement, he was quick to blame the Labour government’s fiscal choices, pointing to what he considers to be increased costs of running a business.
He said: “It is deeply worrying to hear that, following staff consultations on Thursday, 21 May, Morrisons are preparing to close 100 stores across the UK in the coming months.
“But this is the unfortunate reality our retail sector is facing as a direct result of this disastrous Labour government’s fiscal choices. The huge hikes in employers’ national insurance, the national minimum wage, and business rates, are all increasing the costs associated of running a business.
“No business is exempt. Big or small, all the retail sector is being impacted. I am constantly receiving communication from many businesses within my own constituency calling on the government to change course, as they face rising costs and increasing cash flow pressures because of government policy change and higher businesses taxes.
“As the Member of Parliament for Keighley and Ilkley, I will continue to speak up for the businesses which are struggling as a result of this Labour government’s tax grabbing, anti-growth agenda, and I only hope neighbouring Bradford Labour MPs will do the same.”
What Morrisons said
A Morrisons spokesman said: “Expansion of our Convenience business is a core part of Morrisons growth strategy.
“We currently have around 1,700 Convenience stores, opening more than 120 new franchise stores last year, and we have a robust plan in place for further expansion in 2026.
“We continue to see the opportunity to open hundreds more franchise convenience stores in the years ahead.”
The spokesman added that the closures follow a strategic review of shop performance, many of which formed part of the 2022 McColl’s acquisition.
Despite rebranding these stores to Morrisons Daily and making significant investments, the company said remediation efforts failed to turn around those with long-standing financial difficulties.
The spokesman said: “This situation has been exacerbated in more recent years by significant cost increases resulting from Government policy choices, which have made returning these stores to profitability even more difficult.
“Having completed the review, we are now proposing to take the tough but necessary decision to close a number of these stores over the next few months.”
Staff in affected locations will now enter a consultation period, and Morrisons said some employees will be at risk of redundancy.
The company said it will offer available roles at other sites where possible, including within its supermarkets, logistics, and manufacturing divisions.
The spokesman said: “We understand this will be difficult news for them and we will be providing these colleagues with all necessary support.
“This will include finding other opportunities for impacted colleagues elsewhere in the business wherever we can, in our supermarket, logistics, and manufacturing operations, and we have a strong track record of achieving this historically.”
Morrisons is keen to stress its ongoing commitment to the convenience sector, citing last year’s opening of more than 120 new franchise stores as evidence of continued growth.
The spokesman said: “The combination of the proposed closure of loss making stores and the continued addition of attractive new franchise openings will enable us to concentrate on those stores which work best for customers, improving the quality of our Convenience estate and making it stronger overall.”
The T&A approached MPs in Bradford and the Bradford district to see what they made of the plans.