One of the oldest foodstores in Harwich town is to close after more than 100 years' trading.

Staff at the Co-op in Church Street were told yesterday (Monday) the tiny supermarket will shut for the last time on Saturday.

A spokeswoman for the Colchester and East Essex Co-operative Society blamed the closure on declining sales which had made the store "unsustainable."

Elderly customers were shocked to be told the shop would close down two weeks before Christmas, leaving them to travel into Dovercourt to do their food shopping.

The five members of staff have been offered alternative positions at the Co-op's two remaining foodstores in the area.

A Co-op statment said: "With two other food outlets in the Harwich and Dovercourt area - Co-op Fiveways in Main Road and Co-op Foodstore at Fronks Road - the Co-op is still committed to trading in this area.

"However, even more so since the opening of Safeway, sales have declined at the Church Street store and the continued trading of a third foodstore in Harwich and Dovercourt has proved unsustainable.

"The shop could be leased for commercial purposes, however, the society will initially make contact with local community groups to discuss whether they could make use of the vacant property.

"The two full-time and three part-time staff have been offered positions within the two other Harwich and Dovercourt food outlets."

The Co-op has had a store in Church Street since 1875, although not always at its current site.

It also has two foodstores in Dovercourt and recently agreed a six-figure sponsorship deal with Harwich and Dovercourt Football Club to prevent its Royal Oak ground being sold to a rival supermarket.

The spokeswoman said: "The two issues are unconnected. Our decision to support the football club and a decision to close a loss-making store are two separate issues."

Sadness over closure

A former delivery boy at the Church Street Co-op spoke of his sadness at its closure.

John Branch, 77, became an errand boy for the Co-op in 1935 after he left school aged 14.

Mr Branch, of Grafton Road, Dovercourt, said it was "absolutely sad" to discover the tiny supermarket was to close.

"In those days, errand boys went round on trade bikes with big baskets on the front and delivered what customers wanted direct to their homes," he said.

Harwich county councillor Les Double said he was disappointed to see the closure but hoped the building could be used by a community group.

He said: "I have spoken with the chief executive of the Colchester and East Essex Co-op and he hopes a use can be found for the building but it has suffered because of competition.

"It is a blow but there is no point pushing on bolted doors and this shop will close, we have to make the best of this situation."

He said town councillors would meet with members of the Co-op in the new year to discuss possible community uses.

Mr Double added: "It could be used on a franchise basis by a group of people who wanted to maintain a store in Harwich."

Harwich Society chairman Bernie Sadler said his father had been manager of the store in 1953 at the time of the great flood.

Mr Sadler said: "He was later promoted up to the Dovercourt Kingsway store which opened in 1901. It sold food at that time.

"It is very sad for the Harwich people that this is closing, but I do think the Co-op has done very well by Harwich and Dovercourt in the way it has stuck with the town."

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