SHOPPERS in Burnham will soon say goodbye to the town's Somerfield supermarket and welcome a Morrisons in its place after a takeover was confirmed yesterday (Tuesday).

Morrisons told the Weekly News it has bought the Pier Street store from the Co-Operative Group, which had previously taken over the shop.

Morrisons is staying tight-lipped on whether the takeover will lead to a potential expansion or the creation of new jobs, but has assured existing staff they will be kept on after the handover.

It has also not yet been confirmed when the deal will go through as the purchase is still to be rubber stamped by the Office of Fair Trading.

Mark Gunter, group store operations director for Morrisons, said: “We look forward to serving the people of Burnham and we would also like to welcome our new colleagues on board.”

The takeover comes after months of speculation surrounding the future of Burnham's Somerfield after nearby rivals Tesco secured permission to extend their store in Ben Travers Way.

A Somerfield spokesman said: “We would like to thank store colleagues and our customers for their loyalty and local support over the years.”

Do you think a Morrisons supermarket will be a good thing for Burnham or could it have a detrimental effect on town centre trade?

Discuss this in our Your Say boxes below or visit our forums.