WITNEY’S Focus DIY store will become a B&Q store and all 33 employees will keep their jobs, B&Q says.

And Marriotts Walk Shopping Centre could be full by the autumn, with fashion stores Crew Clothing and Phase Eight moving in and Caffè Nero interested.

B&Q was last week given permission by the Office of Fair Trading to buy 30 Focus stores across the UK, including the Witney store. Focus DIY went into administration on May 5.

B&Q spokesman Parveen Johal said all 33 Witney employees would be given jobs at the B&Q store and would not need to reapply for their jobs.

She said B&Q would take ownership of the store on Monday and look to open “as soon as possible”.

Meanwhile Marriotts Walk Shopping Centre manager Lynne Shawyer said: “We can confirm Caffè Nero’s interest. In addition, we are pleased to announce that Phase Eight will be opening on August 5 and Crew Clothing around the same time.

“There is robust interest in the remaining two units and it is hoped we will have 100 per cent occupancy by autumn.”

Witney mayor Harry Eaglestone said: “I think we are riding the recession well.”