Up to 100 jobs could be created at a supermarket undergoing a major revamp.

Asda at Brighton Marina is being redesigned at a cost of £6.5 million. From next week the 24-hour store will temporarily change its opening hours for work to be carried out.

The project will see the giant shop furnished with a large upstairs clothes department, a travelator to take trolleys between the two floors, a music and video area, a larger fresh food department, all-new fridges and freezers, an improved delicatessen, a health and beauty department, a new cigarette and lottery kiosk and a jewellery section.

Floor space will be increased from 41,000sqft to 49,000sqft.

All the checkouts will be replaced, with the number growing from 27 to 33.

A spokesman said it was not yet decided how many jobs would be created but the firm usually expected there to be 100 new jobs with every extra 10,000sqft. He added: "This is the biggest refurbishment Asda is doing this year."

The new opening hours, which will start on Monday, will be Monday-Wednesday from 7.30am-10pm, Thursday and Friday 7.30am-midnight, Saturday 7.30am-10pm and Sunday 11am-5pm. The shop will return to 24-hour opening when the project is finished, probably in mid-September.

June 3, 2005