Traders have expressed fears over their future if a giant retailer opens on their doorstep.

Staff at discount bed centre Hamseys in The Parade, West Way, Hangleton, Hove, have been informed the store will close on July 9.

There are now rumours Tesco will be taking over the site.

The area features a range of shops including a bakery, a sandwich shop, four takeaways, a butcher’s, two pet shops, two chemists and two newsagents.

Now, independent traders say they fear for their survival if the move goes ahead.

Mr Gunavant Patel, manager of the Texaco Service Station in Hangleton Road, opposite the planned development, said the move would kill all the independent retailers in the area.

He said: “This will be a massive problem. We already have a Co-operative store in the area and Sainsburys less than half a mile away. The small shop owners and retailers such as me will not be able to compete.”

Another trader said: “This is not good news. I have heard Tesco is planning to open on the site. They would be very difficult to trade against.”

A spokeswoman for Tesco refused to rule out the plans.

She said: “We are always on the lookout for possible new sites all over the country, and are often in negotiations for suitable schemes.

However, these often never materialise.

“Until an agreement is reached, or an application made, we would not comment on individual cases.”

Tesco has five stores in Hove, five in Brighton and one in Portslade as well as the superstore at Holmbush, Shoreham.

In Brighton, there are Tesco Express stores in Jubilee Street, Queen’s Road, St James’s Street, West Street in Rottingdean and Warren Road in Woodingdean.

The stores in Hove include the superstore in Church Road.

Tesco Express stores have opened at the Palmeira Square end of Western Road, Hove, in Denmark Villas, Droveway and Dyke Road by the junction with The Upper Drive.

Portslade has a Tesco Metro in Station Road.