Sainsbury’s Bridge Street branch has shut for the last time at the weekend, having been earmarked for closure last year.

The store closed on Saturday, January 30, with the Bridge Street unit being one of the victims of closures announced in September 2019. It was one of up to 15 supermarkets, and 40 convenience stores, who were to be shut across the country.

The store follows a number of other businesses to have closed in Andover in the past year, including the Body Shop and Edinburgh Woollen Mill, while the future of Zintino’s is in doubt.

The Advertiser confirmed that the Sainsbury’s store would be closing in September 2020, with a spokesperson for the supermarket saying that it was a “difficult decision”.

At the time, they told the Advertiser: “We are doing everything we can to find alternative roles within Sainsbury’s for those affected.

“Customers can continue to shop with us at our nearby stores. For example, our Andover North store is a short drive away."

The store remained open over the Christmas period, but has now shut its doors for the final time.

The closure follows news that the supermarket is to cut around 3,500 jobs as part of plans to axe all of its fish, meat and deli counters, as well as some of its Argos stores.

The announcement was made in November, when the firm made a £137 million loss following costs relating to the closure of stores across the country, totalling some £438 million.

Despite these cuts, Sainsbury’s expects to have a net increase of around 6,000 jobs as roles are shifted to other areas, with the company having said it would attempt to find those affected alternative roles.

At the time, chief executive Simon Roberts said: “We are talking to colleagues today about where the changes we are announcing in Argos standalone stores and food counters impact their roles.

“We will work really hard to find alternative roles for as many of these colleagues as possible and expect to be able to offer alternative roles for the majority of impacted colleagues.

“Right here and now, I and all the team are focused on supporting and delivering for our customers in the days and weeks ahead.”

Sainsbury's Andover North store, on Shepherds Spring Lane, remains open.