TWENTY one store staff are set to lose their jobs after the closure of the Budgens supermarket in Monmouth town centre was confirmed.

Staff at the Food Retailer Operations Ltd (FROL) – owned outlet have been told it will close its doors later this month after the company entered administration on February 10.

Signs have now been posted at the Oldway Centre premises announcing the closing down sale of discounted stock.

A store worker, who didn’t want to be named, said: “We’ve been told we’re closing and we’ll get our wages, but no redundancy. We’ve feared this for some time.”

Many of the staff worked on the site for the Co-Op before it was taken over by FROL last year and relaunched as a Budgens.

Some have worked there since before the Co-Op took over the store from Somerfield in 2008.

The Monmouth outlet was one of 12 stores out of 34 earmarked for closure at the end of January when FROL tried to enter into a company voluntary arrangement with creditors to keep some stores trading.

But with no deal forthcoming, the company went into administration, with the store’s closure then finally confirmed.  

Mike Denny, joint administrator with Price Waterhouse Coopers, said: “FROL has faced significant headwinds in the form of pricing pressures, intense competition and structural change across the food retail sector.

“We are continuing to trade all 34 stores, whilst engaging with interested parties for the sites and the other leasehold interests of the company. We will work closely with the employees over the coming weeks.”

Waitrose also has a store within 200 yards of the Oldway centre supermarket, while Iceland and Lidl also operate in the town.

The Budgens stores at Overmonnow Garage in Monmouth and the Chepstow store are not affected.

The news follows the closure of the High Noon service station in nearby Whitchurch at the start of the year

South Wales-based convenience store and forecourt operator High Noon Stores reportedly went into administration on December 30, with the A40 northbound premises, which includes a petrol station, shop and restaurant, closing soon afterwards.