East of England Co-op is set to close one of its stores this Saturday. The branch that is pulling down the shutters for a final time is located at Weavers Court in Halstead, Essex – and it will be taken over by Tesco.
All Co-op workers at the branch have been offered a job at the new Tesco. A notice at the store reads: “We would like to say a huge thank you to you, our members and customers, and to the team at this store for the service they have provided over the years.”
Andy Rigby, Acting Chief Executive Officer for the East of England Co-op said: “The letting of our Halstead Supermarket will provide our co-op with secure long term rental income, generating a material increase in profit over the coming years which will support our investment in new stores and facilities.”
A spokesperson for Tesco said: “We’re always looking for the best ways to serve local communities and are excited to be opening a new Tesco Express store in Halstead later this year. We will keep the local community updated with our plans as we get closer to opening.”
East of England Co-op, which is independent to the main Co-op Group, has more than 120 stores across Cambridgeshire, Essex, Hertfordshire, Suffolk and Norfolk. It comes after Co-op Group announced plans to open 75 new stores this year as part of a major expansion.
The retailer confirmed that 25 of the new stores will be operated by the retailer, while the rest will be franchised. It comes comes as part of wider plans to open 120 new Co-ops over the next four years. The convenience store chain will also refurbish 80 existing stores this year.
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Some of the stores that are set for a re-launch following major makeovers in early 2025 include those in Exeter, Brighton, Bristol, Cambridgeshire, Hampshire, Avonmouth, Hereford and Clapham. Last year saw Co-op franchise stores open on more university campus, a first for Co-op with a store opening in a hospital, on petrol forecourts in partnership with EG On The Move, plus a Co-op store at HMS Collingwood, in partnership with ESS.
Co-op Managing Director Matt Hood said: “We want everyone to have easy and convenient access to a Co-op store, wherever they live, and this year we are completely focused on achieving that through an ambitious and exciting new stores strategy.
“Our stores play an active role in local life, and are often a community hub, providing the products and services our members and customers want and need.”
It comes after Co-op axed loyalty rewards for its Co-op Membership customers last year. The supermarket chain used to reward customers with 2p for every £1 spent on Co-op branded goods or services – but this was scrapped and customers had until December 31 to spend any rewards balance they had built up.
At the time, the Co-op said: “Rather than earning a few pence on rewards, our Members will now make substantial savings on their shop with immediate discounts being applied at the till. Overall, a bigger saving on Co-op, and branded products.”
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