WOOLWORTHS flagship Southampton store, which has been trading for more than 80 years, is to close with the loss of more than 50 jobs, the Daily Echo can exclusively reveal.

The high street retailer confirmed its 22,500 square foot Above Bar store, one of the largest in the south, will shut up shop on September 1.

Bosses say they will offer staff alternative positions in other stores. But many workers are likely to face redundancies.

Staff were told the grim news at a meeting yesterday. Many have worked at store for years. It has been trading since 1923.

Clive Davies, area organiser for USDAW, the shop workers union, said: "We are shocked as much as the staff that a store this size is shutting.

"There may be one or two jobs in the smaller nearby stores but they won't be able to take 50 staff. Most of them will be made redundant."

Mr Davies said he would be holding a meeting with staff to discuss the way forward.

He said the retail market was strong in Southampton and experienced retail staff would be in demand.

Woolworths said it had accepted a "very good" offer from the landlord to surrender the lease with ten years left to run.

The spokesman said the closure was not due to the trading performance of the store. Alternative city centre sites would be kept under review, he said, but a relocation was not planned.

A statement said: "All 49 permanent employees will now commence a 30-day consultation period to discuss their individual futures and alternative employment opportunities at Woolworths."

There are four other stores in the Southampton area: in Shirley, Woolston, Totton and Portswood with larger stores in Eastleigh, Romsey and Fareham.

Woolworths operates 800 High Street shops but relies on the supply of DVDs, CDs and video games to third parties, through its media and distribution business, for a large part of its group profits.

A tough trading environment saw Woolworths shops lose £12.9m in the last financial year.

Rising interest rates and restrained consumer spending are a continuing concern for the group.

Recent bad weather helped drive a 3.7 per cent rise in high street sales in the eight weeks to July 28 as shoppers, forced to stay indoors, turned to DVDs and board games for entertainment.