A young entrepreneur will create jobs and help rejuvenate part of a deprived housing estate with his latest shopping venture.

Hanish Patel has bought three adjoining shops in south Moulescoomb, Brighton, and plans to knock them through to make one Spar mini-supermarket.

Two of the existing shops, a post office and convenience store, are popular with residents from the Moulescoomb Estate.

The third was previously a pet food store but it is now empty.

Mr Patel said: "I chose to open the shop here because there is a definite market.

"It is a deprived area and there is very little for residents.

"This row of shops is in need of modernisation and people need something like this."

Mr Patel, 27, wants to retain the post office and expand the food on sale in the new business to include takeaway hot dishes, such as pizza.

Work will start on the buildings in November and the Spar is expected to open by the end of January 2003.

Mr Patel, who lives in Harrow but travels to Brighton most days, already has a string of newsagents in central London.

He bought the shops in Moulescoomb, off The Highway, from their three owners last November with the intention of building the Spar.

He said: "The new shop will have longer opening hours which should be useful for residents such as single mothers and pensioners as well as the big student population.

"I will also be looking to employ local people."

Resident Jackie Denn, of The Avenue, said: "It would be good to have the street looking smarter and more modern. At the moment it looks a bit tired and sad.

"I think I would still do most of my shopping at the supermarket but I would also use the Spar.

"It would be good to see and it would be handy for the elderly to have a bigger shop on their doorstep."