Pitsea market bosses have confirmed that the Railway Pub will be demolished in the New Year.

The 80-year-old pub and hotel will be knocked down along with the stalls behind the pub and the former Co-Op building, boarded up since 2006, to make way for a new Aldi. For several months traders will continue trading on the lower level and in mid 2013 these traders will be moved onto the new market areas, after the new Aldi store is built.

The only major change will see removal of the lockup units that are currently in place meaning the stalls will be put up and down on the same day.

Frank Nash, director of market operator Charfleets, said despite these changes, everything will be done to cause as little disruption as possible to the market – citing modernising the market as a priority.

Mr Nash said: “We are excited and committed to the modernisation this will bring to Pitsea and making a very popular market that has been in Pitsea since the 1950s grow even more. A priority of both Charfleets and London and Cambridge Properties who own the site is to ensure both the traders and the public of the continuity of the market. This will be done as we will have real road frontage.”

The second phase will see construction work on the new Morrison’s store start later next year.

This follows the announcement that Pitsea Swimming Pool will close in the coming weeks with Basildon Council saying the pool on Northlands Pavement will shut by Sunday, December 2, at the latest.