IKEA has renewed its bid to find a site in the city.

The furniture firm missed the opportunity to open a store on the Hollingbury industrial estate, after a deal was struck to sell the former home of British Bookshops and Stationers to another company.

The deal for the leasehold, thought to be worth in excess of £3 million, was struck by the current owners of the British Bookshops warehouse, Dublin-based book wholesaler Eason and Son Ltd, with an unknown buyer.

Stephen Owen, managing partner at estate agent Graves Son and Pilcher in the Old Steine in Brighton, said the buyer plans to move into the site by June.

He said: “Contacts are due to be exchanged in early May with completion by early June.”

A spokesman for IKEA said they were now looking at sites close to the A27.

He added: “We want to make the IKEA offer of quality and affordable home furnishing products available to as many people as possible. To do this we have been actively identifying sites for potential stores along the A27 corridor. Our search in this area continues.”

Meanwhile multi-million pound property developer Quadrant Estates has confirmed it is considering developing the sites adjacent to the warehouse, including offices belonging to Newsquest (Sussex), publisher of The Argus, and Talbot Tools.

Chris Daniel, director at the firm said: “It is a complicated property deal and unfortunately these things take time.”