Three community stores in the Bath area have been saved from closure after the collapse of their former owner.

Nearby Stores, which ran shops in Avon Street and Twerton High Street, went into administration shortly before Christmas.

Both its Bath stores and a third in Tyning Road in Winsley were trading under the name Nisa and were put up for sale along with 30 other former Nearby outlets by administrators KPMG.

Yesterday Southern Co-operatives, which operates 140 convenience stores across the south of England, announced it had bought 13 of the Nearby Stores shops, including those in Winsley and Bath.

Both the Twerton and Winsley stores housed post offices which have temporarily closed.

Southern Co-operatives chief operating officer for food retail and services Phil Ponsonby said all staff would be kept on as part of its acquisition.

Mr Ponsonby said of the Twerton store: "We are aware that the store had been struggling to source supplies, and we are therefore currently working with suppliers to urgently restore stock levels and, importantly, with the Post Office to ensure this service is up and running again as soon as possible.

"Southern Co-operatives is committed to a policy of developing stores at the heart of local communities."

A spokesman for Royal Mail said the firm was unaware of the shops changing hands but confirmed the postal services would be replaced as soon as possible and apologised for any inconvenience caused to customers.

Southern Co-operatives is a separate business from the Co-operative Group, which already runs seven stores in Bath.

Twerton councillor Tim Ball (Lib Dem) said he was delighted to hear that the High Street store had been saved.

Cllr Ball said: "Many elderly people and young families in Twerton rely on this store and to have a Co-op in the High Street again will be an added bonus.

"It is also great news for residents who worked in the Nearby store to know their jobs are secure for 2009.

"It is great news that such a good retailer is moving in and the Post Office is continuing its support of our community after closing a few weeks ago due to the uncertainty of the shop's future."

Southern Co-operatives, which was formerly known as Portsea Island Mutual Co-operative Society, has been trading for 135 years after 30 people clubbed together to buy the first store in the group following a public meeting in 1872.