A town centre supermarket is to close with the loss of nearly 30 jobs.

Budgens in Haywards Heath will close its doors for the last time on May 26.

The loss of the store means the only supermarket in the town will be Sainsburys, near the railway station.

Budgens has been in Haywards Heath for more than ten years after taking over the old Sainsburys store in South Road.

Shocked staff at the store today refused to comment.

A spokesman for Budgens said there were still a lot of details to be worked out and was unable to give an exact reason why it was pulling out of the town.

Residents say the store has been struggling to cope with the competition from Sainsburys which has a large car park while there are very few spaces in South Road.

Haywards Heath mayor Irene Balls said she had been taken by surprise.

She said: "What we need is a thriving shopping area in that part of the town and the loss of a supermarket is unfortunate.

"There are a lot of elderly people who live quite close to the shop and use it regularly.

"It is going to be difficult for them to go further across town to the other store.

"I just hope another supermarket chain moves in.

"Not having a supermarket to draw customers to the area could have a bad effect on other shops there."