The old school was a wartime hospital

Ysgol Eifion Wyn in Porthmadog will move to new premises this week built and paid for by Tesco in exchange for the school's current site.

Tesco will now start building their store as soon as the school - a wartime hospital for soldiers - is empty.

Pupils will move to a new school which has been built next to the Glaslyn Leisure Centre less than 100 yards away.

If this is the only way we can get a new school, then so be it. Ken Hughes, head teacher

It has the capacity for 250 pupils and there are 240 children on the school roll.

The old school will be demolished to make way for a new supermarket and petrol station.

A spokesperson for Bangor-based developers, Watkin Jones and Son, said the new store would be built by early next year.

"We had a ceremony to hand the keys over to headmaster Ken Hughes on Monday and the school will move later this week," he said.

"Once it is vacated, it will be demolished and work on the new Tesco building will have started by early August.

A supermarket will be developed on the site

"The store should be built by January 2004."

Ken Hughes, headmaster of Ysgol Eifion Wyn, said they were looking forward to the move.

"The new building is modern and has been built specifically for teaching children," he said.

"The old school had been a hospital and a secondary school.

"The problems included a flat roof, water coming in, dampness and it was difficult to heat because it was so big, with small classrooms."

The old school was built in 1939 and converted into a hospital for soldiers during World War II.

Critics

However, there has been some criticism of the scheme.

Gwynedd councillor Tomos Evans said he was concerned about the effect of the superstore on high street shops.

But Mr Hughes, who has been headmaster for 13 years, said he was very happy with the arrangement.

"It is the dream of every headmaster to get a brand new school.

"Obviously I have every sympathy with the small shops.

"But if this is the only way we can get a new school, then so be it."