BOLTON'S C&A store is not expected to close until early next year as negotiations continue to select a new tenant for the prime town centre premises.

Although some of the chain's 109 outlets nationwide will shut this month and deals have been signed for new retailers to move in, no contract has yet been agreed for the Bolton store.

As reported in the BEN, the Hotel Street shop is closing as part of C&A's decision to close all its stores in Britain.

But while stores including those in Newcastle, Chester and Gateshead will close later this month, a C&A spokesman said the Bolton operation would probably not close until the end of January.

The spokesman said: "There has been a lot of interest shown in our properties across the country. Nothing has been decided at Bolton yet. Until contracts are signed and all arrangements are in place no announcement can be made."

According to national newspaper reports a number of retailers have expressed an interest in the C&A stores, including Hennes, Gap, Next, TJ Hughes and TK Maxx.

Redevco, the property company of C&A's parent company in Europe which holds the freeholds to the stores, is believed to have decided to let a maximum of just eight premises go to any one retailer.

Some of the 29 staff who work at Bolton were in tears when C&A announced it was closing its UK operation in June.

A spokesman for the Crompton Place shopping centre, where C&A is based, said: "We have heard all the speculation but as far as we are concerned that is all it is at this stage, we have not heard anything definite."