Maidstone's Woolworths store will be closing its doors on Saturday, December 27.

Yesterday The Joint Administrators to Woolworths Plc confirmed that the 807 Woolworths stores will all be closed by January 5, unless a buyer for the business can be found.

However the Maidstone store in Week Street, along with stores in Gravesend, Margate and Tenterden, is among the first tranch 200 set to close to the public on December 27.

Woolworths currently employs 22,000 permanent members of staff and 5,000 temporary and seasonal staff.

Neville Kahn, Joint Administrator said: “Whilst negotiations for the sale of Woolworths’ retail arm remain ongoing, and we continue to speak to new interested parties, regrettably we have had to begin a store closure programme. We are extremely grateful to the staff and management for their support throughout this difficult time."

Paul Alcock, chairman of Maidstone Town Centre Management said: "If and when Woolworths go it will re-shape Maidstone and it will leave a massive hole in Week Street, but that could also be a massive opportunity for someone.

"It will re-shape the town and the loss of Woolworths will leave a massive void in every High Street.

"In Maidstone it could be that Marks and Spencer try and create one large store rather than the two smaller ones they have at the moment."