Tesco’s are planning a grand reopening of their Wickford branch with more items and new jobs promised for local residents.

After nine weeks of closure the store on Southend Road it will be reopened to the public later this week with refurbishment and extension works to the back of the building creating a shop floor 25% larger than before plus new warehousing and office facilities.  

It will also create three new jobs in the area with the company hiring one full-time member of staff and two part-time roles to help with the additional demand the larger store will bring.

The grand reopening will take place at 10am on Friday with members of Wickford foodbank on hand to open the store. John Young, a 62-year-old shift leader, said staff were working 24/7 to ensure the store was ready for its big day.

Echo: Tesco on Southend Road has been closed for 9 weeksTesco on Southend Road has been closed for 9 weeks

He said: “We’re excited to be reopening. I’m a local resident, I’ve worked here six years and it was about time it needed refreshing and redecorating. It’s going to look wonderful when it opens.

“We’ve changed colour scheme, we’ve got new shelving, got new chillers, self-serving checkout and a parcel collection and drop-off point.

He added: “It will look different when people come in. We’re stocking a whole range of products, over 3,500 lines.”

As well as helping reopen the store Mr Young hopes he can also install a new collection point in the branch for Wickford food bank as a way of supporting their charity partner when their old point at the Co-Op on High Street closes down.

With over £100 also donated by Tesco to the foodbank to mark the opening Mr Young wants the store to have a strong link to the community.

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He said: “We realise the foodbank has greater need with the economy the way it is and people’s pockets not as healthy as before.

“A lot of people on Facebook are commenting they can’t wait and how much they’ve missed it which is lovely really.”

He added: “We’re looking forward to it. We’ll have balloons outside, a cake and a few fun things around so we want it to be a celebration of opening up again.”