A Kingston town centre Sainsbury’s has closed temporarily following rumours of asbestos being found in the ceiling.
A spokeswoman for Sainsbury’s told the Surrey Comet: “We will be closing the store in order to carry out some maintenance work and general refurbishments. The store will reopen on December 9, when improvements will include updated decoration and branding, as well as a revamped bakery.”
The spokeswoman did not confirm that asbestos had been found in the building, but did say that asbestos was often used in building work when the store first opened and if any traces were found during the refurbishments they would be removed safely.
Asbestos was a commonly used building material when the Eden Street shop was built in 1967. The use of asbestos was banned in the UK in 1999, following the discovery that the fibres released into the air when the material is disturbed can cause serious diseases, including a fatal lung cancer.
Alex Edwards, a local resident who uses the store regularly, said: “It’s inconvenient that they’re closing, but it won’t be too much hassle. I’m not worried about the asbestos rumours, even if they are true no customers have been put in jeopardy and it’s still a fairly common problem.”
The nearest store for customers to use during the temporary closure is the Sury Basin branch.
