SAFEWAY in Devizes is undergoing a £1 million refit. The work began last week and is expected to be completed within four weeks.

The news of the revamp comes as Sainsbury's revealed it will open in the former Budgen premises in Monday Market Place next February.

Sandy Whitton, manager of Safeway in Devizes, said: "The refit has been planned for a number of months. The budget was agreed back in February or March. The work is to bring the supermarket up to date and make it a more pleasant environment for shoppers.

"We are not extending the supermarket so we have to work within the limits of the building. We are putting in new services and updating existing services."

The new facilities will include a salad bar, chilled chicken area, photo processing and dry cleaning.

Enhancements will be made to a number of areas including the bakery area, fish area and the CD/DVD range, which will be increased. The store will also be repainted and decorated in a new colour scheme.

Mr Whitton said: "We are going to be doing lots of little enhancements across the store. The environment inside the store will be more up to date compared to how it looks currently and there will be more amenities for customers.

"The feedback we have had so far from customers has been positive. They have said that they are looking forward to seeing the new look store."

Mr Whitton said the supermarket's clampdown on motorists parking all day in its car park had gone down well with customers.

Safeway has imposed a limit of two hours parking. Anyone exceeding that limit will face a fine of £40. The store is employing a private contractor to monitor the parking.

Mr Whitton said: "The new arrangements has gone exceptionally well and customers are pleased that we have introduced a time limit.

"People were abusing the situation by parking their cars in the car park all day which meant that on Wednesdays, Thursdays, Fridays and even Saturdays there was very little space for our customers.

"It was an issue that went on for a number of months and since we put a two hour time limit on it's been very successful."

Meanwhile, Budgens has announced that it will be closing its store on Friday October 11.

Sainsbury's, which has bought the premises, will then start work on refitting the store later in the month.

Although no date has yet been set for the opening of the new store it is expected work could be complete by February 2003.

A Sainsbury's spokeswoman said: "When Budgens closes we will be refitting the store over several months.

"We will section off the Post Office so it can continue to trade as normal without any disturbance from the works taking place.

"The usual access at the front of the store from Sidmouth Street and Monday Market Street will be available."

The Post Office would remain as part of the new store.

She said Sainsbury's had no plans at the present time to extend the existing store.

All Budgens staff have been offered the opportunity of transferring to Sainsbury's.

The Sainsbury's spokeswoman said she understood the majority of the staff would be transferring.

The Budgens supermarket opened on the site in Devizes in 1988.

The company also has supermarkets at Wootton Bassett and Bradford on Avon.

A Budgens spokesman said this week that the Devizes store had proved too big for its needs.

He said the company was now concentrating on smaller supermarkets and convenience stores.