HOMEBASE has announced that its store in Wrexham is closing with the exact number of job losses not yet known.

Back in August, the retailer confirmed it was closing 42 of its DIY outlets nationwide, putting about 1,500 jobs at risk, but that stores in both Wrexham and Mold would remain trading.

However, the company have performed something of a u-turn in Wrexham, with the store set to close on December 14.

The company say the decision to close followed negotiations with landlords of the measures outlined in a Company Voluntary Arrangement (CVA).

A spokesman for Homebase said: "Homebase initiated a CVA in August, leading to the beginning of negotiations with landlords on the measures outlined in the proposal. As conversations take place on a store by store basis, there is an element of fluidity in the process. I can confirm that the Wrexham store is now scheduled to close but the store in Mold will remain open.

"We aren’t able to provide employee numbers. As I am sure you can appreciate, consultations are still ongoing and the business is exploring redeployment options so the figure is not yet clear."

Cllr Terry Evans, lead member for economy, said the news was a devastating blow to the town, after a string of recent high profile retail closures in Eagles Meadow.

He said: "It's another hammer blow, it really is. I was obviously aware of the plans during the summer to close stores, but thought the Wrexham store had been saved, so this is a shock.

"It's such a big store and our thoughts are with those that will be effected by this devastating news.

"We will endeavour to work with those who could lose their jobs, to help them find other suitable employment."

The Homebase store closures follow the sale of the business earlier this year by its former Australian owner Wesfarmers to Hilco, a retail turnaround specialist, for £1.

Homebase was bought by Wesfarmers for £340 million in 2016.

Wesfarmers is known for its Bunnings chain in Australia, and attempted to import the home improvement brand to the UK by converting a host of Homebase stores into the Bunnings format.

However, the strategy ended in disaster.

Prior to the Hilco takeover, Homebase had 250 stores at its peak and 12,000 staff.