Sainsbury's to buy North grocer

A Northern Ireland grocery chain is set to be taken over by supermarket giant Sainsbury's in a multimillion-pound deal.

A Northern Ireland grocery chain is set to be taken over by supermarket giant Sainsbury's in a multimillion-pound deal.

Belfast-based Curley's is expected to confirm the sale of its stores later today.

The family-owned company operates grocery shops, off-licences and petrol stations at 21 sites across the North and employs nearly 600 people.

A spokeswoman for Curley's said a "signficant" announcement about future investment would be made at its flagship Kennedy Centre store in west Belfast this morning.

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The company was founded by Hugh Kennedy in 1969 when he opened his first corner shop on Belfast's Glen Road.