LIDL has confirmed it will not be opening a store in Westbury until 2018 at the earliest.

The German company bought the Co-operative store in Bitham Park in November but has now said work will not be carried out until at least next year.

Residents feared that the Post Office, located in the supermarket, would be axed after the takeover was announced but it has been confirmed that it continue to operate until the end of October, but the rest of the building will remain vacant.

Westbury councillor David Tour said: “Like lots of people in Westbury I am annoyed and perplexed that the building is going to remain empty for over a year, apart from the Post Office counter.

“Unfortunately it’s an agreement between Lidl and the Co-operative and there is nothing the town council can do, as much as we would like to.

“Once the Post Office comes to an end in October I really don’t know where else it could go. Nobody has officially approached us at the town council and there is a lack of space in the town centre.

“It is a busy Post Office but not thriving so it’s unlikely it would be a standalone building. Instead, it would have to join up with another shop to make it financially viable.”

When the takeover was announced a spokesperson for the Co-operative said all employees would be transferred over to Lidl, but when contacted this week they said it is now a matter for Lidl to deal with.

Rumours that the building will be demolished once the Post Office closes in October 2017 so that Lidl can build a new eco-friendly building have surfaced on social media, but this has not been confirmed by Lidl.

Speaking earlier this year a Post Office spokesperson said: "We are committed to maintaining a Post Office in this area of Westbury, potentially with a new retailer at the existing site or at a new location."