WAITROSE in Caldicot will shut, the supermarket chain has announced.

Caldicot's Waitrose will be one of four closed across the country as Waitrose confirmed 124 job losses today.

It said it made the decision to shut the branches after it struggled to make them “profitable in the long-term” after a period of “challenging trading”.

The store will close permanently on December 6.

All staff at the store will face redundancy and now enter into consultations.

The other stores to close are in Ipswich Corn Exchange and Shrewsbury, while a Wolverhampton store will be sold to Tesco.

The closures are part of an ongoing review of the Waitrose store estate which started in 2017.

READ MORE:

Berangere Michel, executive director of customer service for the John Lewis Partnership, said: “Closing any of our shops is always a last resort and is not a reflection on the dedication of our partners in Caldicot, Ipswich Corn Exchange, Shrewsbury and Wolverhampton.

“Sadly, we have not been able to find a way to make these shops profitable in the long-term, despite the hard work of everyone involved.

“Our priority now is the wellbeing and future of our partners in these shops.

“We will do everything we can to support them and explore opportunities wherever possible for those who may wish to remain with the partnership.”

Jessica Morden MP said: "I'm very sad to hear that Waitrose in Caldicot is closing. 

"My thoughts are with all the staff affected by this announcement - it's important that they are now looked after in the difficult times ahead.

"The store has been at the heart of the community. Its closure will be a real loss for Caldicot and all those who have worked hard to support and develop the town centre."

Parent business John Lewis Partnership had said in July that it could close more of the supermarket arm’s outlets as part of cost-saving measures.

The group previously announced the closure of eight John Lewis retail sites, which put 1,300 jobs at risk, as part of its turnaround efforts.

On Thursday, the group will update staff on the progress of its strategic review and reveal how trading has been impacted by coronavirus.

Waitrose is expected to reveal higher sales after being boosted by demand for groceries and online deliveries in the face of the pandemic.