keywordMorrisons has announced it is purchasing 49 failed Blockbuster outlets for the next stage of expansion within its convenience arm.
The supermarket is looking to open its Morrisons M local shops in London and the south-east of the UK – where it has fewer stores – by late summer and it is hoping to create around 1,000 employment opportunities in the process.
Gordon Mowat, head of Morrisons Convenience, said the chain is rolling out the M local franchise at pace in 2013 and the latest acquisitions are helping it on to the ladder “in this key sector”.
He added: “The convenience market is growing as more people shop locally and we want to be in a position to take advantage of this.”
Morrisons bought the Blockbuster stores out of administration after the film rental firm collapsed last month and the food and drink giant also recently purchased seven former Jessops shops.
Although Britain’s fourth largest supermarket has not revealed whether it will be retaining former Blockbusters employees, it said it would be delighted if they were to apply for positions at the new stores.
