About 30 jobs at risk as SuperValu set to close

About 30 people are at risk of losing their jobs after a supermarket in Londonderry announced it is to close.

Declan Corry, who owns SuperValu at the Northside centre in Shantallow, confirmed that it will close on 31 March, citing rising costs and difficult trading conditions as factors.

The knock-on effect is that the post office within the store will also close, but it is understood that an alternative location is actively being sought.

A Post Office spokesperson said they had recently received a resignation notice from the postmaster for Shantallow, effective at the end of March.

In a statement, the spokesperson said: "We know how important a post office is to a community and the vacancy will soon be advertised and this could potentially be at the existing shopping centre or a new location."

BBC News NI has also contacted the SuperValu chain for comment.

SuperValu is part of the Musgrave Group, one of the island of Ireland's largest grocery and food distributors.

It has more than 200 stores in both Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland.

Brendan Kerr, a resident of Slievemore Park for more than 50 years, said the closure would have a big impact on the local area.

He described the "shock closure" as "very disappointing, especially for the elderly and those in need around the area".

"It is a very good supermarket and the staff are amazing - they're friendly and always going out of their way to look after you," he told BBC Radio Foyle's North West Today programme.

"They were absolutely unbelievable during the Covid-19 pandemic.

"Anything you needed that they didn't have, they would get delivered - it never failed us."

Kerr said the whole community had built a lasting relationship with the staff.

"Basically, when you go in they greet you, shout over to you, 'How are you keeping today?' or 'Is this your second time up today?' that kind of stuff," he said.

"The staff, particularly the manageress, are just amazing - so comfortable to speak to and they help you in every way."

He said staff were particularly helpful to anyone with a disability.

"Any one of the staff - they are unbelievable in that supermarket and are just lovely people, end of story," he said.

Thomas Mullan, a member of the Galliagh residents' association, said he was very sad ao hear the store would be closing.

"I'm very surprised because in this area it seems that everything is closing down," he said.

"We have been fighting for money to come into this area to be spent because very little is being invested here.

He said the closure would affect older people in particular.

"I live in a wee bungalow, really a wee pensioners' bungalow, and the people there are all pensioners. Where will they go?