UK corner shop chain to close all stores as it plunges into liquidation

A UK mini-chain of corner shops is set to shut all stores after nearly 40 years.

The five Premier Foreways stores in Carlisle will close with Armstrong Watson appointed as liquidator .

The shops operated under the Premier brand but are independently owned.

The locations had been open for nearly four decades, a staple corner shop in the community.

Residents labelled the closures of the Wigton Road, Bedford Road, Blackwell Road, Newlaithes Avenue, and Warwick Road stores a 'shame'.

One local posted on Facebook : “They’ve been there so long. Hope the staff find something else.”

Others added that the shelves has been 'empty a while' with others saying they thought they 'were doing okay'.

The shops were owned by Billy Bone, who has been praised on social media by many previous employees.

One posted: "Good employers like this are few and far between, and I know many of the staff who have worked for them over the years will wholeheartedly agree. They will be sorely missed in the community."

Mr Bone said the decision to enter liquidation was a difficult one as they were the first Premier stores in Carlisle.

A spokesperson for Armstrong Watson said: “We can confirm that Armstrong Watson has been instructed by the directors to assist them in placing the company into liquidation," reports the News and Star.

Premier is a convenience store brand owned by Tesco with more than 4,000 shops across the UK.

A majority of the stores across the nation carry the Premier signage but are also independently owned.