The Midcounties Co-operative is to buy seven new foodstores - six of them former Somerfield branches - for an undisclosed sum.
Some 240 employees will transfer to Midcounties when the Society takes ownership of the supermarkets and convenience stores on 29 July.

The Society is acquiring all seven stores from The Co-operative Group, owners of the Somerfield chain. They include a Co-operative Group ‘Co-op Welcome' store in Towcester, Northamptonshire.

The six former Somerfield stores are in Kingswinford, near Stourbridge, Wednesfield in Wolverhampton, Quinton in Birmingham, Charlton Kings, near Cheltenham, Churchdown in Gloucestershire, and in Towcester.

The seven shops will all be re-branded as Co-operative foodstores and the first - Kingswinsford - will start trading under the new name on Thursday 30 July, with the others to follow later.

Midcounties Co-operative is based in Oxford and Walsall, with trading outlets stretching to Gloucestershire, Wiltshire, Shropshire, Worcestershire and surrounding counties.

Source: talkingretai