“Lee Off License” on Burnt Ash Road has closed and is reported to be destined to become a Morrisons Daily convenience store.
It’s not clear when the new shop will open. Morrisons Dailies are franchise businesses, many of them independently owned. There are 1,700 across the country, including one in Blackheath in the premises previously occupied by Martins Newsagents.
Morrisons’ website page for aspiring franchisees says “We’re all about lovely fresh produce and everyday grocery bits. To guarantee your franchise is a real winner and you can offer the best fresh produce and groceries, we need stores to achieve a weekly turnover of about £25,000 as a Morrisons Daily.
Additionally, the location and visibility of the store are key. Ideally, we would look for your store to be on a main route serving a local population of around 2,000 households with good links to residential catchment areas, easy access and pull-up parking. Each site is looked at individually – as in high urban locations, pull-up parking may not be suitable, or in villages the best location may not be on a main route. Local competition within the catchment area is also a vital factor and will be considered when reviewing your store.”
Franchisees buy their stock from Morrisons, retain their profits and can earn “volume rebates” or rewards for orders above their target thresholds.
The arrival of a Morrisons Daily may not be welcomed by the existing convenience stories on the main road, including the Londis near the junction with Southbrook Road (which has been run by the same family for more than 30 years), as well as the Bottle and Basket and Co-Op on Burnt Ash Hill.
However the closure of the off-licence will bring relief to spelling purists who have long railed against its name being misspelt with an s rather than a c.