A leading UK supermarket has announced the closure of a beloved store, leaving customers heartbroken.
The Sainsbury’s branch in Stamford Hill, London, will close permanently in a few weeks.
Sainsbury’s has a network of 1,400 stores and stands as one of the nation’s favourite retailers.
However, the decision to close the Stamford Hill store comes as the landlord plans to redevelop the site after the lease expires.
A spokesperson for Sainsbury’s said: “Earlier this year, we shared the difficult news with colleagues at our Stamford Hill supermarket that the landlord intends to redevelop the site.”
They added: “The store will remain open and our colleagues will continue to serve the local community as usual between now and February 1, when our lease expires.”
It comes just 14 years after the 16,000 sq ft store opened in place of a Somerfield branch. The debut of the Sainsbury’s site was reported to have attracted 68 new recruits at the time of opening, many of whom were local to Stamford Hill.
News of the closure has become a crushing blow to shoppers and employees alike.
A Sainsbury’s spokesperson assured, “We appreciate this will be an unsettling time for everyone this affects and we are doing everything we can to support them, including exploring opportunities for our colleagues to redeploy to alternative roles within Sainsbury’s.”
Disappointed locals have expressed their dismay on social media over the impending closure. The move has particularly baffled many, given the recent closure of a nearby Asda store.
One disheartened shopper shared a photo of the storefront with the caption: “Will be sad to see them go and I shudder at what will replace them given what’s happening at another local closed supermarket. But times and neighbourhoods do change and such is life.”
Another resident shared their concern regarding the impact of the Sainsbury’s closure on locals who relied on it for their groceries, stating: “Wow, that’s a needed supermarket… why should people have to travel far away to get shopping!”
Adding to the dismay, someone remarked: “So very sad for a lot of people who will struggle.”
The nearest alternative Sainsbury’s superstore is in Finsbury Park, a 1.3-mile walk that takes roughly 28 minutes. Alternatively, it is an 11-minute drive between the two sites.
A Sainsbury’s Local remains open for business just 0.9 miles from the Stamford Hill superstore.
