A BRANCH of the Co-op in Essex is to close and reopen as a rival supermarket.

The Co-op store on Samson Road in Brightlingsea will be turned into a Sainsbury’s.

The East of England Co-op plans to lease the store to the supermarket giant next year.

Co-op staff are the store expected to transfer to the new Sainsbury’s. 

The East of England Co-op says other businesses in the same building and its petrol filling station in Brightlingsea are unaffected by the move.

Chief exec Doug Field said: “We’ve informed our colleagues and tenants at our Brightlingsea supermarket of our plans to lease and transfer this site as going concerns, protecting both jobs and local services.

“This is in no way a reflection on our incredible colleagues, who provide fantastic service to our members and customers.

“We’ll keep affected colleagues and our members updated as these discussions progress, however at this time we’re unable to share any further information.” 

Sainsbury’s boss Simon Roberts said: “As we progress with our Next Level Sainsbury’s plan, we remain laser-focused on delivering the best combination of value and quality in the market and customers continue to recognise this.

“We want to keep building on this momentum, which is why we are growing our footprint further with new stores that will showcase some of the best that Sainsbury’s has to offer.

“We’re excited to be bringing Sainsbury’s supermarket to Brightlingsea for the first time and we look forward to welcoming this new store into Sainsbury’s next year.”

The East of England Co-op will continue to own the freehold.

The East of England Co-op Travel branches in the site will relocate to a nearby location.