A SHOP in Andover has apologised to nearby residents after staff shortages have led to early closure on a number of occasions in recent weeks.

People living in Picket Twenty have been left frustrated, when they have arrived at the Coop shop, which opened in January 2021, only to find it isn't open. Many have taken to social media to ask why the hours have been variable in recent weeks.

Addressing the issue, a spokesperson for Southern Coop said: "The Store Manager has been working exceptionally hard to alleviate any recruitment issues – something being experienced across the service industry nationwide. We have just recruited a number of new colleagues to hopefully prevent future issues.

"On the small number of occasions the store has had to close early, customers were given three days notice via signage and on social media sites in an attempt to keep any disruption to an absolute minimum. However, we’re acutely aware of how important the store is to the local community and we’d like to apologise to anyone affected."

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