Co-op’s new bargain: £300 quickie divorce

WARRING couples can now pick up a quickie divorce at the Co-op for £300 – saving £1,200 on the average bill.

The food store chain’s legal arm will finalise a split in two months under a pilot fast-track system, down from the usual 12 months.

This is because a digital service lets couples upload documents to be sent straight to a judge.

The slashed timescale is part of a Government scheme to help unhappy couples split without blowing a fortune on legal fees.

And HM Courts and Tribunals Service estimates allowing online applications could save up to 13,000 hours that court staff spend checking petitions. Until now, quickie divorces were mostly only viable for the wealthy.

Two years ago, it took the Central Family Court just 14 seconds to end singer Cheryl Tweedy’s 18-month marriage to restaura teur Jean-Bernard Fernandez-Versini after she cited his “unreasonable behaviour”.

Tracey Moloney of Co-op Legal Services said: “Divorce is a last resort for couples, so they want the process to be as quick and painless as possible.

“We are delighted to have the opportunity to be part of these pilots aimed to make the process more succinct for our clients.” Former Family Division chief judge Sir James Munby has also hailed online divorces as a “triumphant success”.