YET another dimension has been added to the Sidmouth shop saga, as The Works confirms it is moving into the town.

The national chain, which sells books, stationery, arts and crafts materials and gifts has its sights set on Fore Street. Marketing manager Becky Joyce said that as negotiations were at such an early stage, she could not reveal exactly which shop unit they would be moving into. Further details would be disclosed closer to the time.

She said: “We will be opening a store in August, but there’s no actual date as yet.”

She said Sidmouth fitted the firm’s customer focus. “We open in towns where we think we are going to do well. Sidmouth has a lot of older residents and visitors and most of our customers are 50 years plus, or children, so it’s a good catchment area.”

Sidmouth Chamber of Commerce vice-chairman Mike Parrish felt that while some people would object to the prospect of a chain moving in, it was positive that the town was attracting business interest.

“There’s a mix of independent and multiple stores in town and it’s good that this trend seems to be continuing,” he said.

Meantime, rumours revealed in last week’s Herald that coffee shop chain Costa are still just that. Corporate communications manager Laura Pearson said: “We are still looking into it at the moment, a final decision has not yet been reached.”