THE chairman of Highbridge Chamber of Trade said he is not surprised the town’s ‘struggling’ Co-operative store has announced it will close in the Autumn.

Bosses from the supermarket chain, which runs a store in Southwell Crescent, have announced the shop will close on Saturday, October 27.

Mike Murphy, chairman of Highbridge Chamber of Trade, said he has seen the Co-operative store regularly empty.

Mr Murphy said: “Nobody can be surprised at the announcement.

“The Co-op regularly seemed 85 per cent empty whereas Asda looks the opposite.

“People shop with their feet they say and the Co-op must have struggled to achieve the stock turn of fresh foods and sales return for such a large store.

A spokesman for the Co-operative has said the decision to close the store was ‘not taken lightly’ and has thanked the community for their support.

A Co-operative spokesman said: “The Co-op is moving forward with a real purpose and momentum and, while this often involves the opening of new stores, we sometimes have to take difficult decisions.

“I can confirm that our Highbridge store will close, with the last day of trading expected to be October 27.

“The decision is in no way a reflection on the hard work and commitment of colleagues, who have been informed.

“We would like to thank the community for its support over the years.”

Mr Murphy said Highbridge has a ‘limited retail offer’ and it is ‘a town in transition’ with ‘a long way to go’.

He said he hopes Sedgemoor District Council (SDC) will be more open to building retail space in the town after the store closes.

Mr Murphy said: “Sedgemoor District Council has said Market Street is the area for retail development and we would like to see Retail developed at Alpha House and possibly a mini mall in the entrance to the Bank Street car park.

“We expect more than 1,000 houses will be built in the Highbridge area.

“Currently there are no empty shop shells in market street and a very limited retail offer.

“Maybe we will at last be able to turn the planners onto providing retail space with an anchor convenience store in the proposed mini mall and a series of shops to support the new furniture stores.”

The news comes as Co-op plans to open a new store at the former Morlands Industrial Park site this summer.