Rumours started circulating this week of possible closures at Strath Village and Strathfieldsaye in the wake of Woolworths opening a new store at nearby Kennington Village Shopping Centre last month.

But IGA has dismissed the speculation.

The owner of Strathfieldsaye Supa IGA Mark Geyer said the rumours were false.

“There’s a lot of rumours going around – they’re not right,” Mr Geyer said from Queensland where he was attending a liquor expo.

“We’re trading as normal.

“I’ve heard rumours that we have sold to Woolies, or sold to Coles, but I rang the store (Thursday) morning and the doors were definitely open.”

The Strathfieldsaye store employees 120 staff.

The owner of the Strath Village IGA Alan Neilson was also in Queensland for the expo and is due back in Bendigo Thursday night.

Store manager Tim Mannix said Strath Village staff were also aware of the rumours.

“But that’s all they are, it won’t be happening,” Mr Mannix said.

“We are here to stay.”

The store, which is next door to the Kennington Village Shopping Centre, employees about 70 staff including casuals.

Mr Geyer, who co-owns the Strathfieldsaye store with the Bateson family, previously expressed concerns about Woolworths’ plans to build two new stores in the area, including one 300 metres from the IGA.

He believes Strathsfieldsaye could not support a second supermarket.

A report commissioned by IGA in 2012 found Bendigo had 30 per cent more supermarket floor space than the state average.  

It estimated a second supermarket could reduce trade by 30 per cent.

Mr Geyer said there had been minimal impact on trade at his store caused by the Woolworths opening.

The new 3800 square-metre supermarket at Kennington Village opened on August 27, five years after plans were first lodged.

It has created 150 jobs.