A Sussex convenience store selling items from Morrisons wants to open in the former Hisbe supermarket in Brighton.
The Sussex Grocer already has branches in Hassocks and Steyning which sell a range of local goods alongside ranges from the supermarket chain.
Owner David and Lynette Knight have now applied for an alcohol licence for the unit in York Place opposite St Peter’s Church where Hisbe traded before it went bust.
The application, which asks to open and sell alcohol as an off licence from 8am to 9pm, says: “The premises would continue to operate as such under the banner of The Sussex Grocer if the licence were granted, focusing as much as possible on locally produced products as it has done in existing stores in the group.
“The store would be laid out with display areas and tills central and against the wall with high value or specific age restricted products behind the counter.
“The rear of the premises will contain stock storage space, a staff area and toilet facilities for staff.”
Mr Knight told The Grocer earlier this month that he had decided to partner with Morrisons because of the wide range of goods they are able to supply.
He told the trade publication he planned to open a third site, also under the Together with Morrisons branding, somewhere in Sussex in August.
The Together with Morrisons model was launched in 2022, and has so far been taken up by a handful of convenience store operators across the country.
Hisbe ceased trading in February, and went into liquidation the following month, owing more than £1 million to employees, the taxman, charities and scores of local suppliers.
The supermarket, whose name was short for How it should be, was founded in 2014 with a focus on using local produce and operating in an ethical way.
When it announced it was closing on its social media channels, it said it hoped its “rebel supermarket sowed a seed of change – and we trust trust that the important work to transform the food industry will continue through others.”
Thought: Would piggybacking off the previous company’s brand like what is suggested here be immoral?