HELENSBURGH'S Waitrose supermarket is set to close with more than 100 workers facing redundancy.

The announcement was made on Wednesday morning following a staff meeting.

One employee at the Cardross Road store, who did not wish to be named, told the Advertiser that staff were summoned to a meeting at the Lodge on Loch Lomond at which they were informed of their fate.

The shop will shut its doors on Sunday, May 3 and although a new retailer is believed to be taking over the site they will not be opening until Christmas, according to our source.

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The company, which has 338 branches across the UK and is owned by parent group the John Lewis Partnership, shut 12 unprofitable shops last year with the loss of over 1,000 jobs.

John Lewis has faced a downturn in profits in recent times and was described as facing its “most challenging period” earlier this year by new group chair Sharon White.

Lomond North councillor George Freeman described the move as a "disaster for the area".

He said: "I have been made aware some time ago that Waitrose in Helensburgh was under threat but had continued to hope that these were just unfounded rumours and that it would not lead to the shop's closure.

"It is the staff that I feel sorry for as they will all now be looking for news jobs.

"The only hope is that one of the other large supermarket chains that have expressed an interest in Helensburgh in the past may consider taking the building on.

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"We know that Sainsbury’s have shown interest in the past and that Tesco have also been interested in a larger supermarket in the Helensburgh area.

"This is more bad news for Argyll and Bute. We can only hope that the building is taken over soon and that the staff have the opportunity to secure new jobs in the near future."

The Burgh branch was the retailer's 300th UK store when it opened in 2013.

There are five other outlets in Scotland, including Newton Mearns, Milngavie and Byres Road in Glasgow.

A Waitrose spokesperson said on Wednesday afternoon that they were unable to confirm the store closure but further details will be made public "at the earliest opportunity".

More to follow.

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