A NORTHWICH supermarket is due to close its doors for the last time as a new store prepares to check into town.

Staff at Kwik Save will say fond farewells to the Chesterway store, which finishes trading at midday today, Wednesday.

But after a week of in-store refurbishment, shoppers and employees will be welcoming another supermarket to the town in the shape of Somerfield.

John Berry, store manager, is overseeing the change over and hopes old and new customers will be pleasantly surprised.

The 30-year-old said: "Somerfield has been taking over a number of Kwik Saves in recent years and this is the latest development. The store will be closed for a week and reopens with a better range of quality goods a week later.

"We will have lots of promotional offers and will be making real efforts to make this a community store."

There will also be some new faces at the check out as John, who has worked for Somerfield for 12 years, is currently recruiting for a further 20 to 25 members of staff.

He said: "We are keeping all the existing staff on board as well as taking on new staff so it's great to bring new job opportunities to Northwich.

"Some of the staff were a little bit worried about how things would change at first but I think they are all on board and are feeling really positive about the future of the store."

He added: "Kwik Save has been established here for more than 12 years and I really hope that we can maintain our regular customers as well as attracting some new ones."

Somerfield will open at 9am on Wednesday, October 14.