Another former Woolworths will reopen in a new guise in the next few weeks after bosses at discount retailer QD Stores confirmed yesterday they will take on the North Walsham branch.

Another former Woolworths will reopen in a new guise in the next few weeks after bosses at discount retailer QD Stores confirmed yesterday they will take on the North Walsham branch.

Around 20 full and part time jobs should be created by the move, which comes just a few days after QD said they would take on the former Woolworths in Beccles.

Yesterday a QD sign had already been put up outside the North Walsham Market Place store, covering the old Woolworths sign.

Other former Woolworths in Diss and Swaffham are also set to have new life breathed into them, the former by CarpetRight and the latter by frozen food chain Iceland.

And in Hunstanton, a branch of the Warehouse Clearance Shop has already opened in place of Woolworths.

A total of 815 branches of Woolworths closed over recent months after the company went into administration last November with debts of �385m.

The QD branch at North Walsham is set to open at the end of April and its arrival is expected to be roundly welcomed in the town.

There have been concerns in recent months that the town would be best served by a brand with a non-value profile, but there has also been an acceptance in the current climate that jobs are more important than being able to pick and choose exactly which store takes on the high profile vacant site.

Sam Reynolds, secretary of North Walsham Chamber of Trade, said: 'We are pleased to see a major empty shop in the town is filled with a retail shop that will provide employment for local people.

'And we hope it will send out a message to other businesses to come and fill the other empty shops in the town, of which there are a handful at the moment.'

North Walsham mayor Brian Wexler said the confirmation of QD coming to town was 'very good news'.

'To see that empty store boarded up was awful, so knowing that something like QD is coming in is wonderful.

'I think the majority of the town will be delighted.'

Alan Hatcher, QD's marketing manager, said: 'We are delighted to be opening a new branch of QD in North Walsham and creating jobs in the town at a time when so many well-known high street names are disappearing.

'In the past, customers have had to travel some distance to visit their nearest QD store; now they can shop locally.

'The new store is in a great location and is sure to create a real buzz in the town.'

QD Stores are an independently owned chain of discount retail outlets situated throughout the East of England and the Home Counties.

Based in many of the region's larger towns and cities, the business claims to represent the 'very best in value retailing'.

Other companies within the QD Group include Lathams at Potter Heigham; Cherry Lane in Long Melford, Pulham Market and Fritton; and Buyright in Hadleigh.