A NEW supermarket will open its doors at the end of November - bringing to an end years of campaigning, uncertainty and Government investigations.

Work is now under way to transform one of Pocklington's two Somerfield stores into a Sainsbury's.

The supermarket's new owners told The Press that the store, in The Balk, was on course to open before December and that Sainsbury's will offer jobs at the rebranded shop to the former Somerfield store's staff.

Campaigners in the East Yorkshire town have long argued that having two supermarkets owned by the same company would lead to less choice and higher prices.

Somerfield acquired its second Pocklington supermarket in October 2004, as part of a 115-store buy-out by Wm Morrison. It already owned one in George Street.

In May 2005, Pocklington councillors and business representatives were invited by the Competition Commission to voice their concerns in person.

Last September, the commission ordered the sale of a number of Somerfield stores across the country, including the one in Pocklington.

Christopher Clarke, chairman of the commission's inquiry, said: "We have concluded that Somerfield's acquisition of 12 of the stores is expected to lead to a significant reduction in competition in their local markets."

Finally, Sainsbury's came forward to buy the store - and the deal was approved by the commission. The deal was completed last month, and the Somerfield store has since closed down.

Fears that the changeover could spell job losses were dismissed by Sainsbury's. A company spokesman said: "The staff will all be given the opportunity to stay on. While we close the store down to rebrand it into a Sainsbury's they will go off and retrain at another Sainsbury's store and then they come back to the store opening in Pocklington."

A number of workers are already being bussed to York's two Sainsbury's supermarkets, in Foss Bank and Monks Cross.

Pocklington mayor June Malcolm said: "These things grind slowly, but we have finally got what we always wanted - more choice for the people of Pocklington.

"Sainsbury's is a different kind of supermarket, so people will now get that option.

"Hopefully, it will draw more people in to Pocklington to use not just the supermarket but the other shops in town, because we do have some incredibly good local shops here."