Spar has revealed it is to close two of its Aberdeen stores next month.
The Torry shop on the corner of Victoria Road and Mansefield Road will shut its doors on September 30.
The Rosemount store will be closing on September 16.
A spokesman for the company said all staff affected by the closures will be offered employment at alternative stores in the area.
Shops and restaurants in crisis
Many retailers and other small businesses are facing significant difficulties due to spiralling energy costs, the rising costs of goods and the increasing inability of customers to pay higher prices due to a squeeze on incomes caused by high inflation.
However, the company’s spokesman insisted the decision to close the “little Spar” at 225 Victoria Road and on Rosemount Parkway had been based on “a programme of refurbishments, updates and improvement” being made across the network in Scotland that were “not possible in these particular outlets”.
Torry resident and community activist Natalie Hood raised concerns about the effects of the closure on the area which has already been hit by a series of business closures.
Recently, the Royal Crown Chinese takeaway, owned by Martin Tang, shut after its gas bill rose from £1,000 to more than £10,000 per quarter in just a few months.
Nom Nom Fudge, on Victoria Road, has also closed after selling homemade chocolate fudge, ice cream and retro sweets to customers since August 2018.
Ms Hood, who worked at the shop with Mr Tang before it closed, said: “It’s another devastating blow to the local communities.
“Taking away convenient shops wll only further impede the most vulnerable in our community.”
Spar in Scotland is operated by Dundee-based wholesale specialist C J Lang & Son.
In a statement, a spokesman for the firm said: “Following a review of company owned CJ Lang stores we have taken the difficult decision to close two Spar stores in Aberdeen.
“The Victoria Road store will close on 30th September 2022 and the Rosemount store on 16th September 2022.
“This has been based on a programme of refurbishments, updates and improvements we are making to stores across the CJ Lang network in Scotland including the addition of food to go and more fresh food space which was not possible in these particular outlets.
“All staff affected by the closures will be offered employment at alternative CJ Lang owned stores in the area.
“We thank our staff and shoppers for their loyalty over the years at these stores and look forward to welcoming them at other Spar store locations across Scotland.”
CJ Lang is a family-owned company established in 1919. The company distributes to more than 300 Spar stores across Scotland.
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