Westbury could be left without a post office after the sale of Coopers supermarket to Morrisons.

The supermarket, UK’s fourth largest chain which has stores in Chippenham and Warminster, finalised the purchase of the Edward Street store on February 12.

All 70 members of staff at the supermarket, who are being briefed about the handover, have been assured their jobs are safe.

But five staff at the town’s central post office, which is situated in the store, have been left with an uncertain future because when David Cooper, owner of Coopers, sold the site he also relinquished his position as sub postmaster.

Members of the public and town councillors spoke of their concerns over the future of the post office at Westbury Town Council meeting on Monday night.

Martin Elliott, an employee at the post office in Coopers, told councillors: “From May 5 myself and other people who are employed by the post office will be unemployed “It’s going to be rather tragic to say there’s going to be no post office in Westbury. I don’t think Westbury can cope without a major post office – we’re choc-a-bloc from when the curtain raises to when the curtain closes.”

Cllr Charlie Finbow said: “It will be absolutely unthinkable for a town the size of Westbury to be without a post office. It would make as much sense as me manufacturing a chocolate teapot.”

Westbury Town clerk Les Fry told the meeting that Morrisons is keen to keep a post office in the store if it can find an external sub postmaster to take on the business. But Morrisons has refused to confirm this.

The issue has been taken up by West Wiltshire MP Andrew Murrison. He has written a letter to the Chief Executive of Post Office Ltd David Mills to press the need for a central post office in the town.

Dr Murrison said: “A lot of people rely on the current arrangements and it would be remarkable if a town the size of Westbury was left without a post office in the town centre.”

Morrisons is due to take over the the store in the first week of May.