A CONVENIENCE store is set to open in Hadleigh’s former Woolworths.

Costcutter plans to open in the London Road building, which has been closed since January 2009 when Woolies went bust.

The mini-supermarket is set to be 2,500-square-foot in size and will operate a bakery, but the firm was unable to put an exact date on when the store would open.

A company spokeswoman added: “Costcutter plans to open a new store in London Road shortly.

“More details on what the store will provide to customers in the local area, will also be available soon. We very much look forward to welcoming shoppers to take advantage of our excellent local value offers soon.”

Costcutter has applied to Castle Point Council for a licence to sell alcohol from 7pm to 10pm seven days a week.

This has led to concerns that the new store will foster antisocial behaviour.

Alfred Papworth, chairman of the Solby estate residents committee, said his group would oppose the application.

He added: “You’re going to have people going in there and buying booze until late at night.

“We all know the sort of problems this is going to cause.

“It will ruin the town centre.”

Some residents are also concerned the town is overloaded with supermarkets already.

Hadleigh is home to a Lidl, an Iceland and a Morrisons, which is in the process of building a new and bigger store.

Judith Chambers, 72, of New Road, Hadleigh, said: “I can’t understand why they think we need another supermarket.

“Really we need Woolworths to come back. You could get all sorts there – paint, children’s clothes, haberdashery – it was such a shame it closed.”

When it reopens, the Hadleigh store will be the final former Woolworths store in south Essex to find a new tenant after the firm went out of business.

Stores in Southend, Billericay, Basildon, Leigh, Rayleigh, Canvey, Wickford, Grays and Lakeside have all already been taken over by new retailers, including a TJ Hughes, Iceland and Tesco.