LIDL says it has not yet decided when to close its store in Roman Road, Taunton.

A spokesperson made the statement after a member of staff had said it would close towards the end of this month, according to staff.

The bargain price supermarket chain is planning to demolish the current store and build a much larger outlet.

The new store would cover the existing plot and the former Six Acres Resources Centre on adjoining land.

Lidl wants to use the Six Acres location, which catered for people with learning disabilities until it was close in 2019, from Somerset County Council.

Staff have told customers they hope the new, bigger store will be up and running in time for Christmas this year. Lidl has not confirmed this.

The Roman Road store was one of the first Lidls in the UK when it opened in 1996.

But it is now seen by the company as too small and out of date "to provide the quality of offer and shopping environment that customers expect", according to a planning application submitted last year.

The new store is set to occupy 2,175sq m along with 124 car parking spaces.

The company has previously said the number of full time staff would be likely to increase from eight to 15, while there would be 25 part timers, up from the current 11.

A member of staff said the new store would be bigger than the one in Castle Street, which opened at the end of 2015 after the Lidl in Wood Street was demolished.

A Lidl spokesperson said: "We remain committed to delivering a larger, modernised store in Taunton to serve the local community an even greater range of our high quality and great value produce, and deliver an improved shopping experience. We would like to thank everyone for the incredible amount of support we have received so far and look forward to receiving the decision from the council shortly."