BOLTON shop workers have been given reassurances that they will not lose their jobs.

Retail giant Arcadia, which owns Top Shop, Dorothy Perkins, Miss Selfridge and Burtons, caused waves of concern after announcing to the City yesterday that they are to shut a further 55 stores nationwide.

This comes on top of the sweeping changes made this summer when 400 stores closed their doors.

Bolton experienced a major re-shuffle in June as gaping holes were left in the Market Place with the closure of anchor-stores Dorothy Perkins, Top Shop and Miss Selfridge.

All three shops have since re-located but Principles remains closed.

A spokesman for Arcadia said that "physical changes" with its stores will continue until 2002.

But they have promised that Bolton workers, and shoppers, will not see a dramatic difference to the current shopping lay-out.

A spokesman said: "We are unable to break it down to individual towns -- but Bolton will not see much change.

"There will be no job losses. Most people have already been redeployed in an industry which has a lot of natural movement anyway."

Arcadia say the closures have been caused by the company's lack of profitability.

The spokesman added: "This is a move to drive on profits and use our resources better but this recent decision does not really change things dramatically, not like the summer."