Morrisons is closing around 100 company-owned Morrisons Daily convenience stores during 2026, in a separate round of restructuring from the store and service cuts announced in 2025.
The affected 2026 branches are loss-making former McColl’s stores. Morrisons said their performance had been challenging for several years and that higher costs, including employer National Insurance contributions and the National Living Wage, had made returning them to profitability more difficult.
The position has also changed significantly for Morrisons’ traditional Market Street departments. After closing 35 meat counters and 35 fish counters during the earlier programme, Morrisons has begun reopening selected counters following customer feedback.
2026 Update: Second Wave Of Morrisons Store Closures
The biggest change since the original Morrisons store closures article was published is a new closure programme covering around 100 Morrisons Daily convenience stores.
Morrisons announced the move in May 2026 after reviewing its company-owned convenience estate. The retailer said the selected stores had been struggling for years and remained loss-making despite attempts to improve their performance.
Unlike the 2025 programme, which included cafes, Market Kitchens, florists, pharmacies and fresh-food counters, the 2026 changes are concentrated on company-owned convenience stores inherited through the McColl’s acquisition.
Seven locations were among the first publicly identified:
| Morrisons Daily Location | Area |
|---|---|
| Fairfax Avenue | Hull |
| Esk Close | Guisborough |
| Zetland Road | Loftus |
| Stokesley High Street | Middlesbrough |
| Queen Street | Redcar |
| Middle Street | South Driffield |
| Woodthorpe | York |
These should not be treated as the complete Morrisons store closures list for 2026. Morrisons has said around 100 locations are affected, and further closures have emerged as consultations and local closure arrangements have progressed.
By July, the programme had started moving from consultation into actual closures. The Crockhamwell Road Morrisons Daily in Woodley, Berkshire, was among the first stores reported to have shut, while the Stokesley High Street branch closed on 18 July.
Why Is Morrisons Closing Around 100 Daily Stores In 2026?
The 2026 closures are primarily about the profitability of individual convenience stores rather than Morrisons abandoning the convenience market altogether.
Morrisons said the affected former McColl’s branches had been loss-making for a number of years despite remedial action. Rising employment costs then made the situation more difficult.
Two major cost changes are particularly relevant:
- National Living Wage: The legal minimum for workers aged 21 and over increased to £12.71 an hour from April 2026
- Employer National Insurance: Higher employer contributions have increased payroll costs for labour-intensive retailers
The wider impact of the UK minimum wage increase in 2026 has been significant for retailers operating stores with tight margins.
Morrisons had already been discussing the effect of higher employment and tax costs before the latest closure programme. The company’s wider Morrisons pay and employment cost pressures provide additional context for why labour costs have become an important part of its restructuring decisions.
Importantly, these pressures appear to have exacerbated existing losses, rather than being the sole reason the stores became unprofitable. Morrisons said the locations had been challenged for years before the latest cost increases.
How Does The McColl’s Acquisition Fit Into The Closures?
The history of the affected stores helps explain why Morrisons Daily appears so heavily in the latest closure programme.
Morrisons acquired McColl’s after the convenience retailer entered administration in May 2022. Under the deal, Morrisons agreed to acquire 1,160 stores, including 270 locations already trading under the Morrisons Daily format.
The official McColl’s acquisition announcement also confirmed that McColl’s staff and pension schemes transferred with the business.
Many former McColl’s stores were subsequently converted into Morrisons Daily branches.
The 2026 closure programme specifically targets around 100 company-owned locations connected to that acquisition which have continued to underperform.
This distinction matters because Morrisons is not withdrawing from convenience retail.
Alongside closing weaker company-owned stores, the supermarket has continued opening franchised Morrisons Daily locations and says it sees scope for hundreds more franchise stores in the years ahead.
What Happened To The Morrisons Closures Announced In 2025?
The 2026 announcement is separate from the restructuring programme Morrisons announced on 24 March 2025.
That earlier programme proposed changes across several parts of the business where Morrisons said operating costs were significantly out of line with usage, volumes or the value customers placed on the services.
The programme originally included:
| Service Or Location | Number Announced In 2025 | Latest Position |
|---|---|---|
| Morrisons Daily Stores | 17 | Closed under the earlier programme |
| Cafes | 52 | Selected locations closed |
| Market Kitchens | 18 | Closed |
| Florists | 13 | Selected locations closed |
| Pharmacies | 4 | Closed |
| Meat Counters | 35 | Closed, but selected counters are now reopening |
| Fish Counters | 35 | Closed, but selected counters are now reopening |
The key correction is therefore that the meat and fish counter figures should no longer be presented as a permanent nationwide reduction with no reversal planned.
Which Morrisons Daily Stores Closed In The Earlier Programme?
The earlier closure round affected 17 Morrisons Daily stores:
| Store | Area |
|---|---|
| King Street | Aberdeen |
| Camden Town | London |
| Kirkby | Merseyside |
| Westcroft | Milton Keynes |
| Moorland Road | Bath |
| Lowestoft Road | Gorleston |
| Old Town | Peebles |
| Hutton Road | Shenfield |
| Waterloo Estate | Poole |
| Higham Lane Estate | Tonbridge |
| The Cornmarket | Romsey |
| Lainshaw Street | Stewarton |
| Featherbed Lane | Selsdon |
| Village Centre | Haxby |
| Queslett Road | Great Barr |
| Oakfield Road | Whickham |
| Peach Street | Wokingham |
These closures should be kept separate from the approximately 100 further Morrisons Daily closures taking place in 2026.
Combining both rounds into one figure can make the scale and reasons behind Morrisons store closures difficult to understand.
Has Morrisons Reversed The Market Street Counter Closures?
Yes, although it is important not to overstate the reversal.
Morrisons closed 35 meat counters and 35 fish counters as part of the 2025 restructuring. However, in July 2026 the supermarket confirmed that it had listened to customer feedback and planned to reopen a number of its traditional Market Street counters.
The decision represents a significant change from the original strategy.
Morrisons said Market Street remained an important point of difference for the supermarket and that it had learnt lessons from the closures. The business has also worked on reducing waste and improving yields so counters can operate more efficiently.
Early reopening locations included:
- Great Park, Newcastle
- Herne Bay
- Thornbury
- Yeadon
- Bolton Dawes
More locations are expected to follow.
It would therefore be inaccurate to continue telling readers simply that all 35 meat counters and all 35 fish counters are permanently disappearing.
Equally, Morrisons has not confirmed that every one of the approximately 70 counters previously closed will definitely return, so the safest current description is that selected meat and fish counters are being reopened.
How Is Morrisons Performing Financially Despite The Closures?
The store closures are taking place while Morrisons is also reporting signs of improvement elsewhere in the business.
According to Morrisons’ Q2 2025/26 trading update, group like-for-like sales increased by 2.2% during the 13 weeks ending 26 April 2026.
That represented Morrisons’ 14th consecutive quarter of like-for-like sales growth.
Other figures included:
- Total Sales: Up 1.7% to £4 billion
- Like-For-Like Sales: Up 2.2%
- Underlying H1 EBITDA: Up 5.7% to £323 million
- Cost Savings: A further £48 million delivered during Q2
- New Morrisons Daily Franchises: 30 opened during Q2 and 52 during the first half
These results make the closure story more nuanced.
Morrisons is not simply shrinking across every part of the company. It is closing loss-making company-owned convenience branches while investing in stores, online operations, franchised convenience sites and other areas where management believes stronger returns are possible.
Is Morrisons Closing All Of Its Convenience Stores?
No.
The 2026 programme concerns around 100 company-owned Morrisons Daily stores, primarily former McColl’s locations.
Morrisons operates a much larger convenience network and continues to open new franchise locations.
This means shoppers should not interpret the closure announcement as the end of Morrisons Daily.
The strategy is closer to a reshaping of the estate. Weaker company-operated branches are being removed while Morrisons continues expanding through franchise partners in locations it believes offer stronger long-term prospects.
How Many Morrisons Jobs Are Affected?
The original 2025 restructuring placed around 365 jobs at risk, covering affected cafes, convenience stores, Market Kitchens, counters, florists and pharmacies.
The 2026 programme creates a separate employment impact.
Reports indicate that hundreds of additional employees could be affected by the closure of around 100 Morrisons Daily branches. Morrisons has said it will seek to find alternative roles in supermarkets, manufacturing operations or elsewhere in the business where possible.
Because consultation and individual store closures are continuing, there is not yet one reliable final redundancy figure covering every branch in the 2026 programme.
What Will Happen To Morrisons Daily Stores That Remain Open?
Morrisons continues to view convenience shopping as an important growth opportunity.
Its approach now has two sides.
The company is closing former McColl’s branches that have remained persistently loss-making while continuing to open new Morrisons Daily stores through franchise partners.
During Q2 alone, Morrisons opened 30 additional franchise stores. It opened 52 during the first half of its financial year and said it plans hundreds more in the years ahead.
That means the total Morrisons Daily network can continue evolving even while a significant group of older company-owned stores disappears.
What Should Morrisons Shoppers Look Out For Next?
The most important point for shoppers is that the 2026 closure programme remains a developing story.
Morrisons has confirmed the scale of the programme at around 100 company-owned convenience stores, but there is still no single complete public list naming every affected branch.
Local consultations, store notices and closure dates have continued to emerge separately.
Customers should therefore avoid assuming that the first seven locations reported represent the final list.
People who regularly use a Morrisons Daily should watch for:
- Local store closure notices
- Changes to advertised opening hours
- Staff consultation announcements
- Post Office service changes where branches operate inside Morrisons Daily stores
- Alternative Morrisons Daily franchise stores opening nearby
- Further Market Street counter reopenings in larger supermarkets
Morrisons Store Closures Update Timeline
| Date | Development |
|---|---|
| 24 March 2025 | Morrisons announces closures affecting cafes, Market Kitchens, 17 convenience stores, florists, pharmacies and 70 meat and fish counters |
| 2025 | Most of the original service and convenience-store closures take place |
| 21 May 2026 | Around 100 further company-owned Morrisons Daily closures are revealed |
| June 2026 | Seven locations are among the first stores publicly identified |
| 17 June 2026 | Morrisons reports its 14th consecutive quarter of like-for-like sales growth |
| Early July 2026 | Morrisons confirms selected Market Street meat and fish counters will reopen |
| July 2026 | The new Morrisons Daily closure programme starts moving into physical store closures |
| 28 August 2026 | Full list of roughly 100 affected Morrisons Daily stores has still not been published as one definitive company list |
The article should be updated again whenever Morrisons confirms a substantial new group of stores or publishes a complete final closure list.
What Does The Future Hold For Morrisons?
The latest Morrisons store closures point to a more selective business strategy rather than straightforward contraction.
The retailer is removing convenience locations that management considers structurally unprofitable while simultaneously growing its franchise estate, investing in online retail and restoring traditional Market Street services where customer demand supports them.
The decision to reopen some meat and fish counters is particularly significant because it shows Morrisons is willing to reverse earlier cost-cutting measures when they weaken a part of the brand that customers value.
At the same time, the closure of around 100 former McColl’s locations demonstrates that Morrisons remains prepared to make substantial cuts where it does not believe stores can return to sustainable profitability.
Conclusion
Morrisons store closures have now developed into two distinct restructuring periods.
The 2025 programme targeted 17 convenience stores alongside cafes, Market Kitchens, florists, pharmacies and fresh-food counters.
The 2026 programme is much larger on the convenience side, with around 100 loss-making company-owned Morrisons Daily stores connected to the former McColl’s estate being closed.
Higher employment costs, including National Living Wage and employer National Insurance increases, have added pressure, although Morrisons says the selected locations were already struggling financially.
At the same time, Morrisons is reporting continued like-for-like sales growth, opening new franchised convenience stores and bringing selected Market Street meat and fish counters back.
That combination makes the current Morrisons strategy less about a blanket retreat from UK retail and more about deciding which stores and services management believes can operate profitably in the years ahead.
FAQs
How Many Morrisons Stores Are Closing In 2026?
Morrisons is closing around 100 company-owned Morrisons Daily convenience stores during 2026. The programme is separate from the closures announced in 2025.
Which Morrisons Stores Are Confirmed To Be Closing?
Seven locations were among the first publicly named, including branches in Hull, Guisborough, Loftus, Stokesley, Redcar, South Driffield and York. Further store closures have since emerged locally.
Why Is Morrisons Closing Morrisons Daily Stores?
The affected former McColl’s branches have remained loss-making despite attempts to improve them. Morrisons says higher National Living Wage and employer National Insurance costs have made recovery more difficult.
Are Morrisons Supermarkets Closing As Well?
The main 2026 programme concerns smaller company-owned Morrisons Daily convenience stores, not a nationwide shutdown of full-size Morrisons supermarkets.
Are Morrisons Meat And Fish Counters Still Closing?
Some counters closed during 2025, but Morrisons has since reversed part of that decision and is reopening selected Market Street meat and fish counters during 2026.
How Many Morrisons Employees Could Lose Their Jobs?
Hundreds of roles are affected by the 2026 convenience-store programme. Morrisons says it will try to redeploy affected colleagues elsewhere in the business where possible.
Has Morrisons Published The Full 2026 Closure List?
No complete company list covering all roughly 100 locations has been published publicly. Store confirmations and closure dates have continued to emerge as the programme progresses.
