The chain has struggled against cheaper rivals

Stores due to close on Wednesday include those in Selby, Clifton Moor, Harehills, Ilkley, Wetherby, two in Halifax and three in Doncaster.

The firm has said it will close 79 stores in the UK - with the loss of up to 700 jobs - leaving 147 open.

Union Usdaw said it would be seeking urgent talks with the firm.

'Difficult decision'

A union spokesman said: "This is a huge number of closures which will affect many workers.

"We will be seeking an urgent meeting with the company to clarify what redundancy package workers can expect, as well as discussing the long-term future of the business."

Kwik Save said in a statement it was a "difficult decision" but it had been forced to announce the cutbacks "to secure the future of the business".

In an e-mail to the BBC's Have Your Say website Michael Thorne of Leeds said: "My wife has worked at Kwik Save for 20 years and her store at Harehills Leeds shut on Monday evening.

"The decision to close was taken at 1800 BST on Monday. Staff were asked to come to the store on Tuesday morning to be told the store had closed and be handed a letter confirming redundancy.

"The letter stated that as the closure was taken at short notice, redundancy packages were yet to be worked out. They were told the details of the closures would be released to the press later that day.

"The store has not received a delivery for over a month prior to shutting, except for deliveries of milk and bread.

"By Sunday, half the shelves had been removed in anticipation of closure although management claimed the store would be remaining in business."

In East Yorkshire, Mark McManus e-mailed from Hull, where he works at the Boothferry Park store: "I still don't know if I have a job or not.

"No-one has told me anything. and I am supposed to be a deputy manager. The first I knew was when I saw the news.

"Although obviously by the state of our shop we know something is going on. We have no bread, milk, fruit and veg, fresh meat or cigarettes and the lottery terminal no longer works.

"What we spend on wages - we're barely taking more than that.

"Keeping it open is just prolonging the inevitable. The reason I'm speaking to you is that I'm leaving...I've got another job with another retailer."