Alnwick butcher Turnbull's closes town centre shop 'for an extended period of time'

Turnbull’s is closing its Market Street shop ‘for an extended period of time’.

The business will continue to operate the Northumbrian Food Hall on the Willowburn Retail Park and develop its plans for a new bakery production unit on the Lionheart Enterprise Park.

In a statement on social media, the firm said: “We’ve taken the difficult decision to close our town centre shop for an extended period of time, due to ongoing staffing issues which, post-Covid, have made operations extremely challenging.

“We’re also going to use the time to transition into our new bakery unit.

“This is an exciting new chapter for the Turnbull’s business. Opening our new bakery production unit that will allow us to continue producing award winning produce in new, modern and purpose built premises.

“Our food hall will of course, continue to operate as normal in the meantime.

“By closing our Market Street shop, we’re aiming to give ourselves some much needed breathing space and to allow us to work on some exciting new projects, keeping Turnbull’s at the forefront of the UK Independent Food Retail sector.”

The business established in 1880 by Roger Turnbull first traded on Clayport Street but moved to its Market Street location during the 1950s.

During the 1970s it expanded with the purchase of the neighbouring drapers shop and knocked the two shops into one.

The firm’s food hall on the retail park opened in 2019.