More than 20 workers could be axed after it emerged a DIY store in Dudley is being forced to close its doors to make way for a major supermarket expansion.
Supermarket giant Tesco currently leases a building on Birmingham New Road to DIY store Wickes, which employs 22 workers.
But bosses are invoking a clause forcing it to move off the site, which is near Burnt Tree Island. Wickes will close next summer but bosses said they were hopeful most of the workers would be found positions at nearby branches.
Avis Robinson, Wickes spokeswoman, said: “We have agreed to leave the current site of our Dudley store, situated on Birmingham Road. We will be trading from the store for another year.
“We have a number of stores in the area and we are confident that we can transfer most if not all colleagues and customers to surrounding stores.”
Wickes and electrical store Curry’s, which has already closed, will be bulldozed to make way for the new Tesco store, which will be around two-and-a-half times the size of the existing supermarket and is expected to create an extra 180 jobs.
Video store Blockbusters, which has also shut, will be bulldozed to make way for a new petrol station.
The new store due to be completed by Christmas 2010 will be built on stilts with a car park underneath. In total there will be 970 parking spaces.
Demolition of the existing store is due to begin early next year and customers will be forced to shop in a smaller temporary store expected to sell just food and other essentials which will be constructed on part of the existing car park.
In other changes the exit to the store for motorists will be altered to allow drivers leaving the supermarket site to turn either left or right.
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