The Co-operative Food has confirmed it will shut the doors of two of its stores for good this month, impacting local communities in the New Forest and south-east London.
Final Dates for Two Local Stores
The Co-operative Food store on Lyndhurst High Street in the New Forest will close permanently at 10pm on Friday, January 23, 2026. This follows the announcement that its branch on White Horse Lane in Chislehurst, Bromley, will also shut on the same date.
The decisions are part of a wider portfolio review by the mutual retailer, which operates over 300 branches across the country. A spokesperson explained that the closures stem from a plan, announced last year, to divest 22 directly managed stores.
Customer and Community Reaction
The impending closure of the Lyndhurst store has been met with disappointment from residents. One regular customer described it as a "fantastic little shop" with consistently friendly staff, expressing sadness at its loss.
Another raised significant concerns about the impact on elderly residents, particularly due to the loss of a nearby Post Office service, calling the decision "terrible."
Behind the Decision and Support for Staff
The Co-op stated that the original strategy involved selling 20 stores to third-party retailers and transferring two to franchise partners. While five stores have already been successfully divested, the process hit a snag.
"Given external factors, the third-party purchasers withdrew from the proposed acquisition of five sites, one of which was Lyndhurst, High Street," the spokesperson said. Regarding the Chislehurst location, Southern Co-op added, "Despite extensive efforts, we have not been able to secure an alternative buyer for this location."
The company has committed to supporting all affected colleagues. It will explore redeployment opportunities within its other stores or elsewhere in the Southern Co-op group. Where this isn't possible, roles will be at risk of redundancy, but the organisation promises full support throughout the process.
Overall, seven more stores from the original divestment plan are due to finalise by the end of February 2026, with five still in the legal process.
