Wetherby Road Co-op in Knaresborough will close today (January 8) and then reopen as a new Asda Express store two days later.
The move is part of Asda’s long-term plan to expand into the convenience market and become the second largest UK supermarket.
Asda acquired 132 sites from the Co-op in a £438 million deal in 2022 and plans to open 300 sites by 2026.
The new store will become the second Asda Express in Knaresborough following the opening of the Boroughbridge Road branch last year.
Andy Perry, vice president of convenience at Asda, said:
“We’re incredibly excited to be bringing our Asda value and quality to the Knaresborough community with the conversion of the Co-op site. The roll out marks an incredibly exciting moment for our business and accelerates our presence in the fast-growing convenience market.”
A local Asda source, who asked not to be named, said:
“We have a full team that have all moved to Asda with a pay rise. Initially it will be mostly branded products and we may experience shortages for at least 10 weeks until Asda have enough sales data for accurate deliveries.
“Asda is the only major supermarket that currently doesn’t have a convenience range, so it’s a new concept for them too. We will have teething issues as with any new business but we urge our customers to be patient and look forward to seeing them on the other side.”
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Pharmacy closure prompts concerns about future of Jennyfields retail
Jennyfields residents have expressed concerns about the forthcoming closure of the Boots pharmacy in the Co-op.
The Stray Ferret reported last month Boots planned to close 300 UK stores, with those in close proximity to other sites run by the company most at risk.
But the loss of the facility has upset locals — and heightened fears about the future of retail in Jennyfields, where many shops are shut.
The nearest Boots pharmacies will be in Harrogate town centre, Knaresborough Market Place, St James’s Retail Park and Market Place West in Ripon when the one in Jennyfields closes.
Freda Roach, a nearby resident, described the loss of the pharmacy as a “great blow to the local community” and a “retrograde step”, adding:
“[The pharmacy] is used by a great number of Jennyfields people who do not have a car and use the bus or walk.
“I for one will be very upset when the branch is closed as the nearest pharmacy is not in walking distance, and relying on buses will make it half a day’s job having to travel into Harrogate.”
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Another Jennyfields resident, David Smith, said the move was “ridiculous”.
He said:
“I have been going there for prescriptions for at least 30 years. It is always busy and recently you usually have to queue.
“In addition, I understand that the next nearest surgery at Killinghall is closing.
“We are going backwards rather than forwards.”
‘A popular and busy pharmacy’
Councillor Michael Harrison, a Conservative who represents Killinghall, Hampsthwaite and Saltergate on North Yorkshire Council, was also “disappointed” by the news.
He told the Stray Ferret:
“I was very disappointed to hear that Boots intend to close the pharmacy located in the Jennyfields Co-op – and I have asked the public health team at the council to consider what representations we need to make to NHS England, who are responsible for ensuring pharmacy provision is adequate.
“This is a very popular and busy pharmacy.”
Three out of four units are closed at the Jennyfield Drive site.
One Stray Ferret social media follower commented to say the centre used to be a “thriving little area”. But three out of four units on the Jennyfield Drive site, as well as the Stone Beck pub, are closed.
The prospect of a new Tesco supermarket a mile away has also fuelled concerns about the future of retail in Jennyfields.
But Cllr Harrison said:
“Jennyfields is a vibrant housing estate, and is more than capable of supporting quality businesses in this location – I am keen to understand what the landlords’ plans are to ensure the future attractiveness and viability of the units.”
A spokesperson for the Co-op said the use of the space occupied by the pharmacy is “being reviewed” and “no decisions have been taken at this stage”.
Twenty UK Boots stores have already closed in line with the new plan – four of which are in Yorkshire.
Boots declined to comment on the Jennyfields closure when approached by the Stray Ferret. But staff at the pharmacy told the Stray Ferret they have been “given options” about employment going forward.
Boots pharmacy in Jennyfields to close next yearThe Boots pharmacy inside the Co-op at Jennyfields in Harrogate is set to close next March.
The move comes after Walgreens Boots Alliance, its US-based parent company, announced the closure of 300 UK stores in an earnings call in June.
In a separate report, Boots said it will “consolidate a number of stores” in order to “concentrate its team members where they are needed”.
It added:
“[It will] focus investment more acutely in individual stores with the ambition of consistently delivering an excellent and reliable service in a fresh and up to date environment.”
The report also said the stores affected are “in close proximity” to other Boots sites.
The retailer declined to comment on the Harrogate store closure, however staff at the Jennyfields pharmacy told the Stray Ferret they have been “given options” about employment going forward.
Following the closure, the nearest Boots pharmacies will be in Harrogate town centre, Knaresborough Market Place, the St James’s Retail Park near Knaresborough and at Market Place West in Ripon.
The Co-Op at Jennyfields
Twenty UK stores, including four in Yorkshire, have already closed following the announcement.
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