THE Darlington head office of discount drugstore Savers Health and Beauty is to close with the loss of more than 80 jobs.

Savers owner AS Watson said it was merging the head offices of Savers and its other chain, Superdrug, into one office in Croydon, South London.

Workers at Savers' head office in Faverdale were told the news this week.

The business was set up in 1987 by entrepreneur Richard Tonks, who sold it to Chinese group AS Watson in 2000.

A spokeswoman for AS Watson said on Monday: "All 83 Savers employees affected by this announcement will take part in collective and individual consultation over the next four weeks to discuss the options open to them and look at ways of minimising redundancies - including the opportunity to relocate."

The 179 warehouse staff will not be affected and the spokeswoman said there were no longer-term plans to close the warehouse, saying it was an important part of the group's distribution facilities.

She said the group planned to expand in the UK, increasing stores from 1,175 currently to 1,800 over the next ten years. "Bringing the Savers and Superdrug head office teams together in one location will help to deliver these plans."

She said staff who did not want to move to Croydon may be offered jobs in Savers or Superdrug stores. The group announced last month it had signed a lease for a new distribution centre in Bedfordshire.