AN EVESHAM town centre supermarket is set to close later this month with the loss of more than 50 jobs.

The Somerfield store in Swan Lane store will disappear as the KwikSave shop in High Street is rebranded as Somerfield.

Now bosses at the Somerfield store in Swan Lane have been branded "disloyal" by staff at the shop.

But as their jobs go under the axe, workers at the nearby KwikSave store on the High Street have been told theirs are safe.

Nicola Amery, of Rynal Place in Evesham discovered the news of the Swan Lane closure on Monday.

The angry 30-year-old mother of two children aged 10 and five said: "I was told by friends of mine, who work at KwikSave on Monday. They told me how Somerfield was due to close down and that we'd all lose our jobs. I've worked there for the past four years and now it looks like we're losing our jobs. I'm so angry it seems the bosses have shown us no loyalty whatsoever."

Nicola who worked as a check out supervisor and was due to qualify as a duty manager this month was shocked and upset when the news was confirmed.

"We've been told there will be redundancies but how many - who knows? We can't cope with my partner's income, and there's talk of his company closing too, so it'll be a double whammy if that happens.

"I've got two young children to look after too. I'm just one of many parents who needs a job that fits in with her children. There are single parents that work at the supermarket too and there are some people that have worked there for the past 30 years.

"Somerfield is all they know, they won't walk into another job at their age. It just shows there's no loyalty for people who have worked for a company for so long."

The company said the decision to retain the High Street outlet had been taken because it was regarded as a better retail location. All 56 employees including part-time and weekend workers are currently in consultation with a view to taking up posts in other Somerfield stores if possible.

Simon Williams, press officer for Somerfield said: "We're working to establish potential opportunities with other retailers in the area. Redundancy packages are available to those we cannot place."

Somerfield acquired the KwikSave chain in 1998.