Closing down signs have gone up at Helston's Budgens supermarket as customers are told to expect the store to shut for good next month.

Staff are telling customers that March 11 is likely to be the last day of trading, unless stock is cleared before then, after the store's parent company went into administration last week.

It was announced in January that the store had been earmarked for closure, just six months after it replaced the Co-op at the Trengrouse Way car park site.

That decision became clearer last week after Food Retailer Operations Ltd, the company which owns Budgens nationally, went into administration with Price Waterhouse Coopers.

While the company has said it will continue trading during the administration process, signs have appeared at the Helston store announcing the closure and advertising reduced items.

Mike Denny, joint administrator at PwC, said: "Our trading strategy reflects our continued focus on engaging with interested parties, whilst seeking to optimise trading performance across all stores.

"We will continue to evaluate our strategy as the sale process progresses over the coming days and weeks."

Co-op has offered to find jobs for its previous employees in the 36 affected stores that it sold.

Helen Webb, director of HR and food retail at the Co-op, said: "We’re sorry that the company has gone in to administration, and we want to do everything we can to assist former colleagues. If no buyer can be found for the stores, we will make every effort to help find alternative employment for those affected.

"In addition, we have protected the pension rights of former colleagues, and are ensuring former Co-op colleagues receive the full redundancy pay they would have been entitled to when working at the Co-op."