STAFF at the Somerfield supermarket in Milnsbridge face redundancy with the sale of the store to discount retailer Aldi.

The store at Scar Lane will cease trading on Saturday May 16 and will be closed for refitting before re-opening under the Aldi name.

A spokesman for Somerfield said the 36 staff involved were at risk of redundancy as a result of the deal.

The acquisition means Aldi now has three Huddersfield stores – with the Milnsbridge site joining existing Aldi outlets at the former rugby ground at Waterloo and Beck Lane Industrial Estate, off St John’s Road.

The Somerfield spokesman said: “We can confirm that the store has been sold and will cease trading on May 16. We have exchanged contracts with Aldi.

“We understand that their plan is to close the store for a period.

“Staff have been informed of the sale and that as a result they are at risk of redundancy.

“We will do all that we can to support these colleagues – either to find alternative roles in local Somerfield and Co-operative Group stores or with other local employers.”

The spokesman said the sale was not related to the Co-op’s £1.5bn acquisition of the Somerfield business and subsequent ruling by the Office of Fair Trading that it had to sell some of its stores.

He said: “We continually review stores through our normal course of business and, as a result, disposals such as this may result where it is commercially appropriate.

“We would like to take this opportunity to thank our store colleagues and local customers for their loyalty.”