Sutton Morrisons: Shoppers missing closed store 16 months on  

For the last 16 months, the Morrisons store on 31 High Street has been closed due to what has been described as “essential maintenance”.

In September, after several months of silence from Morrisons, the chain confirmed that the original store would not open, but a brand new Morrisons store would be built in its place.

The announcement was met with a mix of reactions on Facebook, with some welcoming the plans, while others didn’t want it back.

Your Local Guardian spoke to shoppers on Sutton High Street on Wednesday (October 22) to find out how they feel about the ongoing closure.

Many spoke about the convenience and variety the store once offered.

Teenager Chi said he was glad it might reopen.

Chi is excited about the possibility of Morrisons reopening. (Image: Ezekiel Bertrand)

He said: “It’s been closed for like a year now.

“I like the idea of it opening up again.

“I am one of a thousand people who agree it needs to come back.”

Others, like Roger, who used to live in Sutton but now lives in Ireland, were upset about the disruption the closure has caused.

Former Sutton resident Roger laments the inconvenience caused by the closure. (Image: Ezekiel Bertrand)

Roger said: “It’s been too long.

“They’ve looked at the money they’ve lost, so it’s just not worth it.

He added: “The nearest one is Asda at the bottom of the hill, and coming up the hill is not good for a lot of people.

“Morrisons was great though.

“It had cigarettes, food, and I used to do my shopping there.

“A lot of people are moaning that it will never reopen, and it had a car park as well, which was great.”

Shoppers also spoke about the specific products they miss.

Sarah, originally from Africa, said the closure affected her grocery routine.

Sarah misses the fresh fish, meat, and speciality items she used to buy at Morrisons. (Image: Ezekiel Bertrand)

She said: “Morrisons closing affected me so badly because I used to buy my groceries there.

“I used to come from Wallington town centre and came here to Sutton to buy.

“I really liked their fresh fish, meat, and the beef was so nice.

“I don’t like beef from other places, and I used to love their cakes.

“Now I’m forced to buy what I don’t want to eat.”

For some, the lack of a local supermarket has meant longer trips and inconvenience.

Reece, who recently moved back to Sutton, said: “It should still be there.

Reece highlights the struggle of top-of-town residents having to travel further for groceries. (Image: Ezekiel Bertrand)

“It’s central to the High Street.

“The people at the top need a local store, but they have to walk all the way down and then back up again.”

Sean, a resident married to a Thai woman, highlighted the store’s variety and personal touch.

Sean called Morrisons the best store Sutton had. (Image: Ezekiel Bertrand)

He said: “Morrisons was the best supermarket in Sutton; they had every type of spice we needed.

“Now we have to go down the High Street.

“At the end of the day, it was just perfect.

“If it opened tomorrow, I’d be the first in the queue.”

Morrisons has not yet confirmed what form the new store will take or when it might open.

A spokesperson for Morrisons said: “Over the past year, we have undertaken a comprehensive review of our Morrisons store in Sutton to ensure we can best serve the local community in the years to come.

“Given the significant structural repairs required in order for us to reopen, we are now intending to build a new store on the site.

“We are currently in discussions with potential development partners and will be exploring the viability of different options in the coming months.

“We remain committed to Sutton and to bringing forward a scheme that invigorates the high street and meets the needs of the local community."