Sainsbury’s has expressed an interest in opening a store in Bingley amid strong rumours it is set to buy the former Bradford & Bingley headquarters.

A spokesman for the supermarket giant said the company was currently looking at a “a number of options” to open a store in the town.

The options are understood to include the former B&B headquarters, which went on the market for £4million, according to various sources including one in Bradford Council. An announcement is expected in the next few weeks.

Sainsbury’s confirmed it was looking at Bingley but would not go on the record about the B&B site.

The spokesman said: “Sainsbury’s are interested in opening a foodstore in Bingley and are currently looking at a number of options in the town. However, we cannot currently reveal any more details about particular sites.”

Other supermarkets, including Tesco, have also been interested in the B&B building, which was previously described by Prince Charles as a “carbuncle”.

However, a Tesco spokesman told the Telegraph & Argus in February that the site would be “too small” for a major supermarket.

Bingley Councillor David Heseltine said he believed traders and shoppers would welcome a major supermarket such as Sainsbury’s in Bingley.

Coun Heseltine said: “We have got a huge, redundant, empty office building that is not bringing anybody into the town. The potential for it becoming an office again is, I think, remote. A supermarket is another option to offer greater footfall into Bingley and bring employment.

“It would also allow specialist retailers into the town to complement what Sainsbury’s would offer.”

Coun Heseltine said he would like to see a supermarket as the hub of a vibrant town centre shopping area. He said: “Look at what Morrisons has done in Guiseley. All the local shops are full and vibrant. I would hope to see something similar in Bingley.”

His Tory colleague, Councillor John Pennington, said: “Whatever happens, the site needs a successful business in there, full of people shopping in Bingley.”

The multi-tiered B&B former HQ has lasted as a functioning building just 35 years. The last 400 of the mortgage company’s staff moved to Crossflatts in 2008.

Tesco is pressing ahead with its planning application for a 40,000 sq ft store on the Bingley auction mart site in Keighley Road.

That application could be decided at September’s meeting of the Shipley Area Planning Panel.