THE One Stop store in High Street, Wellington, is to close following a decision to sell the building, writes Barry Knott.

A One Stop spokesperson said: "From time to time, we review the viability of our stores and unfortunately we have taken the difficult decision to sell our Wellington, Somerset, store.

“This was not a decision that was taken lightly and our priority is to explain to colleagues what this announcement means for them and wherever possible we will offer them alternative roles with One Stop. We would like to thank all our customers who have shopped in our store."

One employee, who only started work there in March, said the decision had come as ’a complete surprise. I think all the staff now know’.

It is unclear what will happen to the post office which trades in the same building.

It is the second big store to close in Wellington in just over a year following South Street shop E J Teare’s decision to cease trading.

Tesco owns 500 One Stop stores and operates them as a separate company. There is another One Stop at Tonedale where a senior member of staff would make no comment.