Chester's Little Waitrose is closing down just ahead of the opening of the retailer’s much bigger store down the road.

All staff have been offered the opportunity to transfer from the Foregate Street outlet to the new superstore in Boughton, which opens at 8am on Thursday, November 6.

Little Waitrose is closing at 6pm on Saturday, November 1.

The new 29,000 sq ft store will be more than five times the size of its existing shop, where up to 150 extra jobs have been advertised, attracting almost 1,000 applications.

Waitrose director of convenience, Jackie Wharton, said: “The new store in the Boughton Retail Centre will enable us to provide Chester shoppers with our full offer and create even more employment opportunities for the local community.

“It was sadly not viable to trade from two locations within such a short distance; however the new store represents one of the largest investments we have ever made in a branch.

“We are firmly committed to delivering a flagship Waitrose shop in Chester which ensures we can and build on the hard work of our Foregate Street Partners and continue to play our part in attracting shoppers to the city.”

It was in October 2012 that Waitrose gained planning permission for its £40m scheme that will transform the site into the largest Waitrose in the county, complete with a 320-space underground car park, new shops and bars lining the A51.

The scheme will also see the former St Paul’s Primary School site turned into a 120-bedroom hotel and new office blocks together with new public realm and a pedestrian bridge crossing the Shropshire Union Canal.

Some shoppers will miss Little Waitrose. Lorraine Roberts said on Facebook: ”Not happy that they are closing Little Waitrose in Foregate Street! When the big one opens, I’m not going all the way to the new Waitrose for my morning coffee.”