CHARD’S MyLocal store, which has sat empty on Fore Street since its sudden closure, is set to be reoccupied by the end of 2016.

The good news for the town has come from property consultants Rowley Hughes Thompson LLP.

Barry Muggridge, who works for the firm, said: “The property is under offer and should be re-occupied by the end of the year.”

This comes just weeks after workers were seen removing the contents of the old store and boarding up the MyLocal sign.

The shop was one of 93 MyLocal stores that permanently closed in July.

It was not known how many jobs have been lost due to the closure, with a spokesman from My Local saying that employees may be able to transfer to Morrisons supermarkets, or to other national retailers and supermarket chains.

Cllr Dave Bulmer, mayor of Chard, said: "That is good news. It is the first I have heard of it.

"The general consensus for the town is people are saying they hope it is not another charity shop.

"It is quite a substantial size so someone moving in there has got to be encouraged."

The news comes in the same week as Co-operative Food announcing that their Fore Street store will be closing in February 2017.

For the full story on that, click here.