Tesco opening new Express store in Belfast days after closing city centre Metro store

Linda Stewart — Fri, 15 Oct 2021 16:02:08 +0000

Supermarket giant Tesco is poised to open a new Express store at Belfast’s Donegall Place days after closing the city centre Metro supermarket that has been operating for 25 years.

The retailer confirmed its decision last year not to renew the lease it has held on the former bank building next to Primark’s bank buildings since 1996.

While the lease isn’t due to expire until Sunday October 17, Tesco has already closed the doors of the Metro store and cleared its shelving from the shop floor.

Tesco still has an express store on Royal Avenue and a new unit about to open just up the street at Donegall Place.

The former bank building on Royal Avenue went on the market earlier this year with an asking price of £4.25 million.

The 22,500 sq ft listed building dates back to 1869 when it was built as the Belfast branch for the Provincial Bank of Ireland. Allied Irish Bank took it over in the late 1980s until it was taken over by Tesco in 1996, building an extension.

The Tesco Metro store was hard hit in the wake of the August 2018 fire that devastated Primark’s Bank Buildings store next door.

It remained closed for almost nine months, reopening in May 2019, and the work at Bank Buildings has restricted access to the store.

Primark has already responded to the 2018 fire by buying Fountain House on Donegall Place.

The post Tesco opening new Express store in Belfast days after closing city centre Metro store first appeared on Neighbourhood Retailer.

Tesco to rip up Metro format

Julie Nash — Mon, 07 Jun 2021 13:21:41 +0000

The Tesco Metro format is under threat as the supermarket giant rips up the concept- just two years after it underwent a revamp. Almost 90 Tesco Metro stores will be rebranded as Tesco Express, with the rest becoming superstores.

The overhaul in 2019 was part of the plan to address concerns from the rise in discounters, and their move into more mainstream grocery. Tesco rationalised its Metro range, and cut around 4,500 jobs at the time. However its format as a city centre location to capture passing trade mean it was hit hard by Covid.

The company’s research showed that 70% of Metros are being used simply for top-up and food to go, rather than the main shop.

Customer shopping habits have changed, leading to the decision to rebrand all the Tesco Metro stores, a spokesperson said.

Discounters

Meanwhile, the onslaught of the discounters continues in to the smaller local format. Just last month Poundland began piloting its Poundland Local format – with two stores under 3,000sq ft opened in Yorkshire recently.

The retailer said: “The stores offer a range of products to meet the needs of customers, whether they are doing a planned top-up shop or making an urgent last-minute buy, with a big focus on food – from fresh ingredients to food-to-go.”

All of the items are from Poundland’s core ranges, including everyday groceries, snacks, household products, health and beauty, batteries, toys, stationery and homeware.

Additional ranges

There will be additional ranges customers expect in a convenience store, including: fresh fruit and vegetables, chilled and frozen food, extended range of bread and morning goods, beer, wines and spirits, fresh Lavazza coffee, hot pies, pasties and fresh cakes supplied by Poundbakery, extended range of vaping products from 88 Vape, nappies and formula milk, and Camelot lottery tickets.

The retailer says prices will be “identical” to larger Poundland stores. If successful, the smaller format could give Poundland the potential to accelerate its growth and reach new areas that would not support a larger store.

There are currently around 20 Poundland stores in Northern Ireland, with potential for the new local format to make its way here if the pilot proves successful – however a spokesman said ‘there are no current plans beyond the first two pilot stores at the moment.’

Neighbourhood Retailer

Newsletter Sign Up Link > http://eepurl.com/deWOqf

The post Tesco to rip up Metro format first appeared on Neighbourhood Retailer.

Tesco metro - Neighbourhood Retailer

Tesco opening new Express store in Belfast days after closing city centre Metro store

Tesco to rip up Metro format