BURNLEY'S Pioneer superstore closes today leaving the town without a Co-op shop for the first time in more than 130 years.

The closure has resulted in the loss of 25 full-time and 35 part-time jobs. Only two have been redeployed to other Co-op stores.

A spokesman said: "We have had Burnley Jobcentre at the premises over two weeks offering advice on jobs, re-training and further education.

"We have also had another retailer in the store doing job interviews and our own personnel staff have been there trying to help as much as possible."

The 40,000 sq ft Curzon Street food outlet -- the town's first superstore -- is up for sale.

CWS, which merged with former owners Co-operative retail Society last year, said the decision had been made following careful assessment of various factors including trading performance and potential at the store, hard hit in recent years by fierce and growing competition from large multiples and cut-price outlets.

The move follows the 1999 closure of the Living store in Market Square, Burnley's only department store, as part of a £150million sell-off of non-food outlets to cut mounting losses.

"Every effort was made to sell the business and secure employment for our staff but our approaches to potential purchasers were unsuccessful," said a Co-op spokesman.

The Co-op is now considering subdividing the building to provide a number of retail units.

Several potential tenants are said to have expressed serious interest in the proposed new units.

The Curzon Street centre opened in late 1982 as a Co-op Leo's store at a cost of £3million and employed a total of 150 staff.

It was built on the site of the former Co-op wholesale warehouse which in its heyday supplied goods to more than 50 Co-op grocery outlets throughout the town.