THE Co-op store, which occupies one of the biggest sites in Bordon’s Forest Shopping Centre, is to close in November, with the loss of 24 jobs.

Although Peacocks, the only clothes shop in the town, will stay open.

Many of the Co-op staff have worked there for several years. A spokesman at the store said: “We are working with Wilko, Lidl and other local stores and shops to see if we can find jobs for our staff when we close.”

The leader of Whitehill Town Council Adam Carew told the Bordon Herald: “Whitehill Town Council is very concerned about the closure of Bordon’s Co-operative store and, although we had expected it, we thought it would be in the new year so it has come as a surprise to us it has happened so soon. We are also very concerned about the staff losing their jobs and every attempt will be given to them by the Job Centre for support if they need it.

“Although we have a very successful western end at the (Forest) Centre, the other end had suffered with the issue of footfall and the new owners are aware of this. As they have done with other companies, they will help in enlivening this part of the Centre and a planning application is expected to be issued shortly.

“We also have to remember a number of Co-ops have been closed around the country and the new (centre) owners (Vale Investors) have a reputation for turning shopping centres around.”

Spokesman for Peacocks Ian Johnson said: “When the Co-op closes we are going to get a premises licence to continue to operate in the Forest Centre store. We are planning to have a wall installed between the store and us and a new entrance and we will continue there until the refurbishment of the Centre takes place and we will then moved into one of the bigger units there.

“We will be all singing and dancing as it will give us much more room to display a larger range of clothes and footwear.”

* Last Friday morning, four men forced their way into the Co-Op store and stole cigarettes worth several hundred pounds before driving off in a dark vehicle.