MARKS and Spencer is not interested in opening a store on the Goldiggers site in Chippenham, it said yesterday.

The news came days after the district council exchanged contracts with developers E and J Commercial Properties Investment Ltd.

E and J say the loss of Marks and Spencer is not a threat to the deal, which would give the company a 125-year lease on the building, subject to planning permission.

Marks and Spencer had been rumoured to be one of the companies interested in the site, which is currently earmarked for leisure rather than retail use.

But a spokesman for the store said it had considered the site but was not interested. "We have seen it and we are not going to consider it," she said.

E and J said it was talking to a number of people about Goldiggers.

Director Barrie Jones said his vision for Goldiggers includes bars, restaurants and a retail element, which would probably be a convenience store.

He said it is too early to give any specific details about what would be done to the site, but he said it will need major structural work. In particular work will need to be done to make it more attractive at ground level.