Waitrose Waterlooville: Supermarket's final date announced alongside Helensburgh and Four Oaks closures

The branch’s 179 employees, also known as partners, were told of the closure in a meeting at Portsmouth Marriott Hotel on Wednesday morning.

It is one of three closures being made by the retail giant, with stores in Helensburgh, Scotland and Four Oaks, West Midlands to get the axe.

Staff at Waterlooville who wish to continue working for Waitrose & Partners will be now consulted to 'explore opportunities' across the company.

The store is expected to close its doors for the final time on Sunday, June 14.

It has been open for well over a decade.

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Waitrose & Partners regional manager, David Coltman, said: ‘We have taken great pride in being part of the Waterlooville community so the closure of the shop is not something we take lightly, but have sadly not been able to find a way to make the shop commercially sustainable in the long term. ‘Our priority is our partners working there who will be fully supported throughout the process and we will identify opportunities for those wishing to remain with the business wherever possible.’

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Shoppers and former Havant mayor, councillor Peter Wade, yesterday branded the closure of Waitrose Waterlooville ‘disastrous’.

One shopper, Mark Gilbert, 58, said: ‘There’s nothing in Waterlooville any more – it's gone down the pan – and this will be yet another shop closure to add to the list.

‘This will be a disastrous blow to the whole community and I could see the rest of the shops in that area closing before it's too late.’