LONG-HELD fears that Lyme Bay Holiday Village will close have been confirmed this week with over 100 people expected to lose their jobs.

LONG-HELD fears that Lyme Bay Holiday Village will close have been confirmed this week - with over 100 people expected to lose their jobs. The Hollybush-owned complex in Seaton, which provides 380 tourist beds and many local amenities, including an indoor swimming pool, has been bought by Tesco and will cease trading from January 2, 2009.Around 150 staff members could be made redundant and, as about 80 of them live on site, many will also be made homeless.Stand Up 4 Seaton member Lizzie Bewsher said: "This is a disaster for the staff concerned, and also for the town and the surrounding area of East Devon as it depends heavily on the trade brought in by visitors to the holiday village."Tesco's plans for the site are unknown, but the closure is an immediate catastrophe. It will damage the area now, whatever plans are being made for the distant future."Tesco has been invited to a public meeting at Winston's, in Harbour Road, Seaton, on Thursday, March 20. At present, there are no development plans in place for the regeneration area and no agreement that Tesco will be the partner with East Devon District Council.A fancy dress demonstration against the take-over will be be held outside the entrance to the holiday village at 11am on Saturday, March 29.Co-manager of Nippers Day Nursery and Hollybush employee Sue Amato said in a statement to the Herald: "As a community we are not willing to sit back and let Tesco destroy our town. "The residents of Seaton will lose all community and leisure facilities, tourist accommodation and the largest employer in one fell swoop if Lyme Bay closes."As the Ofsted registered day nursery is the only one in Seaton, with 35 children currently on its books, Miss Amato has called on the supermarket to respond to the staff and residents' concerns.Local resident David Lee, of Musbury, fears that even more jobs will be lost as a knock-on effect through a loss of tourism.He told the Herald: "More than 40,000 visitors a year who stay at Lyme Bay Holiday Village spend money in the local towns and villages. "This will surely affect the trade of local pubs, shops and other companies that provide goods and services to Lyme Bay Holiday Village, which could lead to further job losses.