THE sale of Bordon's Somerfield supermarket to Asda would be "very unlikely", according to a Somerfield spokesman. The spokesman was responding to rumours circulating among the town's business leaders about a possible sale after it was announced last week that Somerfield stores in Alton and Petersfield will become Marks & Spencer Simply Food stores by next spring. They are among 12 Somerfield stores across England and Scotland recently purchased by Marks & Spencer. But the Somerfield spokeswoman told The Herald this week that there was little chance of its Bordon branch being sold because it would soon be the only remaining Somerfield store in the area. She added that the company rarely sold premises to Asda because most of them were not big enough for Asda's needs. Derek Seale, president of the Forest Traders' Assoc-iation, said: "It was an interesting prospect, but if Somerfield is showing a commitment to keeping its store here then that's a good thing."
