The Morrisons supermarket in Sutton town centre has now been closed for more than 20 months after what was first described as a short maintenance shutdown.
Since the store at 31 High Street closed in summer 2024, the situation has gone through long periods of silence, a major redevelopment announcement, and the first visible signs of change earlier this year.
The store first closed in July 2024 after Morrisons said it needed to carry out “essential maintenance” works.
At the time, the retailer did not confirm a reopening date and indicated the closure would be temporary, with a local expectation that it would reopen in the autumn.
By September 2024, Morrisons confirmed the situation was more serious than first thought, saying “significant” issues had been discovered at the site and the store would remain closed for an extended period while options were explored.
Around the same time, Sutton Council said it had not received any planning applications for the building after residents speculated the site could be turned into flats.
By July 2025, the store had been closed for a full year and was still listed online as “temporarily closed”, with no reopening date given.
Businesses and residents continued to question what would happen to the site as the shutdown stretched on.
In August 2025, business owners at the top end of Sutton High Street said the year-long closure had left a hole in the town centre and was affecting footfall.
Salon owner Sanjay Vyas, of Anavrin Beauty Clinic & Hair, said the loss of the supermarket and its car park had directly impacted trade.
He said most of his customers had used the Morrisons car park and that many were now parking elsewhere and not walking up the High Street.
Sutton Council leader Barry Lewis also acknowledged the closure had had an impact, particularly in the northern part of the town centre, though he said many visitors to the car park had only been using the supermarket itself.
In September 2025, Morrisons confirmed the original store would not reopen and instead announced plans to build a brand new supermarket on the same site following a review.
A spokesperson said the decision had been made because of the “significant structural repairs” needed to reopen the existing building and that the company was in discussions with potential development partners.
Luke Taylor, Liberal Democrat MP for Sutton and Cheam, welcomed the announcement at the time and described the plans as a “vote of confidence in the high street”, adding that he would continue engaging with Morrisons as options were explored.
By October 2025, shoppers in Sutton were sharing mixed reactions to the news, with some saying they wanted the supermarket to return as soon as possible, while others were sceptical about how long rebuilding could take.
Morrisons said it could not yet confirm what the new store would look like or when it might open.
In February 2026, the first visible change at the site was seen when the Morrisons signage was removed from the building more than 18 months after the store first shut.
The removal of the branding marked the first physical sign that redevelopment could be moving forward, although no construction work has started.
As of March 2026, the former supermarket remains closed with no confirmed date for demolition or rebuilding.
Morrisons has said it is still working with partners to decide the best option for the site, and no planning application for a new store has yet been approved.
