Morrisons has added to its portfolio of sites to be converted to its M convenience store format with the purchase of six HMV stores from the company’s administrators, Deloitte.

The purchase comes just over a week after the supermarket group bought 49 Blockbuster stores and shortly before that acquired seven former Jessops sites.

Morrisons is aiming to open the acquired stores, which have an emphasis on London and the South East, across the summer.

With these purchases, Morrisons looks set to exceed its target of operating 70 convenience stores by the end of 2013, starting with London and the South East. It has also acquired a 100,000sq ft multi-temperature distribution centre in Feltham, west London, which will be the hub of a distribution network in the region.

In addition, Morrisons has announced that its convenience stores will switch from the current M local name to a new Morrisons M local fascia. Morrisons currently trades 13 convenience stores across the UK.

Morrisons is also offering staff a £500 finder’s fee if they find convenience properties that are subsequently opened.

Gordon Mowat, managing director of Morrisons Convenience, said: “We have either opened or acquired 70 stores just one month into our financial year so we are pleased that we will exceed our 2013 target. Our focus is now on opening these stores as soon as we can as well as pushing on to secure even more sites. This is a big expansion year for us and we have got off to a great start.”