Please note, this is an archived story. Please check the date above.

Cllr Tom Lister

Shoppers were stunned when they visited the Co-op convenience store last week to find it closed without warning and a notice on the door thanking them for their custom.

The store was taken over only six months ago when Spar pulled out of the area after suffering problems over security and one incident when a blaze started after a firework was thrown into the shop.

Under the Co-op the store continued to be targeted by thieves and there was a high turnover of staff leading to complaints from customers over poor service and empty shelves.

Co-op bosses decided to shut down because the shop was making heavy losses and they saw no way to turn the situation around.

Now councillors and community leaders are approaching the company's chief executive Martin Beaumont urging him to consider a rescue bid.

Cllr Tom Lister was disappointed the company pulled out without warning.

He said: "While the council has been looking at ways of increasing trade, the Co-op has been planning to walk away."

Helen Lambert of the Friends of Crumpsall Park community group was worried about the future of other stores on the Lansdowne Road shopping parade.

She said: "Most people are quite disturbed that the shop just closed down like that. A lot of people who shopped at the Co-op walked through the park to get there so it made the park busy and meant people felt safer.

"For a lot of things, people will now have to go to Cheetham Hill or to Sainsbury's in Heaton Park so the other shops left in Lansdowne will lose passing trade.

"I think it's probably got something to do with crime but I don't think the Co-op showed much commitment. So much for that stuff about the Co-op being a community retailer. It was better when it was the Spar."