A business leader is confident the soon-to-close Woolworths site in Clacton will not be vacant for long.

Pierre Oxley, chairman of Clacton’s Chamber of Trade and Tourism, admitted news the store will be among the chain’s first closures was disappointing.

A huge countdown sign in the window tells shoppers how many days the famous high street brand has left.

The Clacton branch, one of town’s biggest stores, will be one of 207 sites to shut down on December 27. The other 600 will close by January 4.

Mr Oxley is hopeful a big retailer will buy the Pier Avenue store.

“It’s disappointing Deloitte (the administrators) could not find a buyer, I thought they would do better,” he said.

“There’s no getting away from the fact it is a difficult climate at the moment, but I’m sure there will be people wanting to buy the site.

“Marks & Spencer might want to expand or another big retailer like Next, for example, or even a food retailer might come into the town.

“I think it is important the site is not split up into three or four shops.”

More than 30 jobs look set to go at the Clacton site, and more than 30,000 across the country.

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