A NATIONAL food retail business is set to leave a South Cumbrian town next month after making the decision to sell its store.

The Co-op has confirmed that the company will be vacating its Lapstone Road store in Millom in June.

The store will then be transferred over to a new operator.

The company says that the decision to sell a store is ‘not taken lightly’, and that they are now prioritising safeguarding the members of staff working at the store by transferring them to the new operator.

The staff have already been informed of the sale of the store.

The final day of trading as a Co-op store is expected to be on June 11.

Support given to the Co-op by the Millom community over the years has been praised by the company.

Confirming the sale of the store, a spokesperson for Co-op, said: “The Co-op is moving forward with a clear purpose and momentum and while this often involves opening new stores, we also regularly review our existing locations.

"The decision to sell any store is not taken lightly and, only after careful consideration is our store in Millom to be sold. Our priority has been to safeguard local jobs, and colleagues - who have been informed – will transfer (under Transfer of Undertakings Protection of Employment regulations) to the new operator.

“We would like to thank the community for its support over the years.”