Sainsbury's moves in

Staff at Budgens were told last Thursday that a deal had been agreed with the rival supermarket chain.

The deal is still being ironed out but it is planned that Budgens will close in mid to late October.

Sainsbury's will then carry out a refurbishment, expected to cost in excess of £1 million, and plans to open the store next February.

The post office located in the store will be open throughout the refurbishment and Sainsbury's says it intends to keep Post Office Counters in the store.

The investment in the store will cost Sainsbury's millions of pounds but a spokesman could not give any details about how much the deal is worth.

All the 40 full and part time staff at the Budgens store will be offered the opportunity to transfer to Sainsbury's.

A Sainsbury's spokeswoman said on Tuesday: "We have exchanged contracts with Budgens to acquire their existing store in Devizes. We do intend to open a new supermarket in February 2003.

"The deal is not yet completed. Once we have completed the deal the Budgens store will close and we will completely refurbish the store to open as a 14,000 square foot Sainsbury's supermarket.

"The Post Office Counters will stay open during the refurbishment and we would like to keep the post office in our new store."

The spokeswoman said Sainsbury's was delighted to be opening a store in Devizes.

She said: "Devizes is an ideal location for the Sainsbury's brand. We hope to provide an excellent service for the local community."

The spokeswoman did not know at this stage if extra staff would be needed for the supermarket. She added: "All existing Budgens staff will be given the opportunity of moving to the new Sainsbury's supermarket."

A Budgens spokesman said the Devizes store was simply too large for the company's needs.

He said: "Over recent years Budgens has concentrated on developing smaller supermarkets and convenience stores in the local community.

"A 14,000 square foot supermarket no longer fits the company's profile.

"The business is being sold as a going concern so employees' jobs are protected.

"All team members were advised of the situation last Thursday and they will have the option of moving across to Sainsbury's.

"We will be talking to staff over the next few weeks to see if they want to transfer to Sainsbury's.

"It is likely that most of the management team at the supermarket will stay with Budgens and they will work at other Budgens stores.

"We would like to thank the entire team for their hard work and loyalty over the years."

Lidl bids to build but Tesco talk is scotched

THE plans to build a Lidl discount supermarket on London Road, Devizes, are due to go before councillors at Kennet District Council next month.

Lidl has applied for planning permission to build a 1,200 square foot store next to Focus DIY.

The plans include parking for 97 cars.

Lidl, a German firm, has a reputation throughout the Continent for discount food shopping.

Lidl has a number of other stores in Wiltshire including ones in Swindon, Trowbridge, Tidworth and Melksham.

A survey carried out by consultants for the supermarket chain claims a Lidl store would not have a detrimental impact on the viability and vitality of Devizes town centre.

The report, submitted to Kennet District Council, said the store would be used mainly by families doing their weekly bulk food shopping.

Devizes town councillors and Bishops Cannings Parish Council have both welcomed the Lidl planning application.

Meanwhile, rumours have been circulating about Devizes Town Football Club's site in Nursteed Road.

Tesco is rumoured to be interested in the Nursteed Road site and, if the land was sold off, the club could build a ground at land near Coate Bridge.

It has also been rumoured that the club has been negotiating with Southbroom Junior School, in Nursteed Road, to use part of the school land to access the football club site.

But Devizes Town Football Club chairman Chris Belcher scotched the rumours. "We are not in discussion with Tesco and the rumours about talking to Southbroom Junior School about access to the ground are not true," he said.

"If the club was going to relocate then a site near Coate Bridge could be somewhere where we would be interested in but as we don't own our ground we are not in a position to do anything."

The club sold its ground to neighbouring packaging company Linpac about ten years ago and pays a peppercorn sum to rent the land. Written into the sale was a buy-back clause with Linpac, which sponsors the football club's first team.

Linpac's general manager Steve Hinton told the Gazette yesterday: "I have had no conversations with the football club about the site being sold or developed. We have no plans to sell the ground and we have had no contact with developers."

Gerald Webb, chairman of governors at Southbroom Junior School, said: "The football club has not spoken to me or the governors about using part of the school land for access, it's news to me. The land is ours until we are told otherwise."

Wiltshire Education Authority said it had not received any inquiries about the junior school's land.