MYSTERY surrounds the closure of Aldi's store on London Road in Grays.

The store closed suddenly more than a week ago, when notices were posted on the shutters saying it was 'due to circumstances beyond the company's control'.

The notice added the closure would be for the 'foreseeable future'.

Thurrock Nub News contacted Aldi on Saturday, 23 October asking what the problem was and we were promised a statement on Monday. It did not materialise and further requests for information have been ignored.

However, on Friday (29 October) - on social media - the company replied to a request for information from a local resident saying the store is permanently closed.

But since then other social media posts from Aldi suggest the store will be reopening. And a notice has now appeared at the store as part of an expansion of its alcohol licence!

Investigations by Thurrock Nub News leads us to believe the initial cause of the closure was a rodent infestation, which led to electrical supplies being compromised by cables that has been chewed. We understand goods in the store had also been contaminated.

The Aldi store is adjacent to a Poundstretcher store where all perishable or non tinned food goods were removed from sale this week. Staff there told Nub News the problem was rodents that has come into the building from the Aldi store.

Poundstretcher has continued to trade in the interim.

A manager at the Poundstretcher store has contacted Nub News to say they have not had any problems with rodents, but declined to say why the food shelves were cleared.