A CO-OP food store that faced an uncertain future in the region has been sold to supermarket chain Tesco, safeguarding the jobs of nearly 50 workers.
The Co-operative Group yesterday said it had sold its shop in Annfield Plain, near Stanley, County Durham, to Tesco for an undisclosed sum.
The store, in Station Road, will cease trading as a Co-op at the end of the month, at which time all ten full-time and 38 part-time staff will transfer to Tesco.
A spokeswoman for Co-op said: "We are pleased to have concluded a deal in Annfield Plain which ensures employment for the staff and a continuing service for the local community."
Four more Co-op stores in the region - in Spennymoor and Shildon, in County Durham, and Blyth and Hexham, in Northumberland, are under review.
The group, which began the review in September, is considering alternatives, including downsizing stores, changing stock, or putting the shops up for sale.
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