Wymondham is set for a jobs boost next month when a national food retailer opens a supermarket at the former Woolworths store.The ex-Woolies in the Market Place has been empty since the New Year when the historic high street retailer went into administration.

Wymondham is set for a jobs boost next month when a national food retailer opens a supermarket at the former Woolworths store.

The ex-Woolies in the Market Place has been empty since the New Year when the historic high street retailer went into administration.

But 20 new jobs are set to be created in the town after the Co-operative announced that it would be turning the shop into a supermarket.

Work has already begun on the �600,000 transformation of the former Woolworths, which will result in the closure of the Somerfield store in Market Street, which is owned by the Co-operative Group.

The 22 Somerfield staff will transfer to the new supermarket sometime next month, with another 20 additional workers set to be recruited.

Officials from the Co-operative said they planned to let out the Somerfield store in Market Street following the relocation. It follows the �1.5bn acquisition of the supermarket chain by the Co-operative Group last year.

Co-operative regional manager Richard Waddington said a date for the opening had not yet been set, but would happen in November.

'This is a significant investment in Wymondham by the Co-operative. Our new store is more than twice the size of the Somerfield store and will provide a much enhanced service, meeting all the community's daily food shopping needs.'

'I am confident local people will be delighted with their new facility and, furthermore, in the best traditions of the Co-operative, we will play our part in community life,' he said.