A CONVENIENCE shop has been forced to close after the company went into administration.

My Local in Hatfield Road, Witham, shut last week after the chain announced more than 1,000 jobs were likely to be lost.

Ninety-three of the retailer's 125 stores will close.

The chain was sold to Greybull Capital last year by supermarket Morrisons, which has said it would offer jobs to ex-My Local staff.

The chain said it had struggled to compete in price wars within the grocery sector.

Residents near the store were shocked to find out the store had suddenly closed its doors.

Jemma Doe, who lives in Haygreen Road near the store, said: "I'm disappointed more than anything really as it was handy having somewhere close that sold the odd few bits we need in a rush like bread and milk without having to walk all the way up to Aldi.

"It was certainly the only cash machine anywhere near us as far as I'm aware.

"I didn't realise until I walked there on Wednesday with my son to get milk and found it closed."

Residents who had gone in to the store found the shelves empty, and said they felt sorry for the workers who had lost out on their jobs at short notice.

Mike Greene, CEO of My Local, said: “I would like to thank our employees, who have worked tirelessly since the launch to create a new, independent competitor in the convenience store market. It was never going to be easy. When we took over, the network was heavily loss-making and some stores had closed.

"The last nine months has been one of the toughest retail trading periods that I have ever experienced and My Local has faced intense competition.

“Of course it is easy to blame market conditions. But the reality is that, while we more than halved the rate of losses, the management team has been unable to return the business to profitability. For that I am truly sorry. We will continue to support the administrators in their efforts to safeguard as many jobs as possible.”