Supermarket giant Tesco to close 43 stores

The company said in a trading statement today (Thursday) that it would also carry out a significant revision to its store building programme and is expected to axe plans to build 49 larger stores.

Tesco has five Express stores across the district - on Barnsley Road and Stanley Road in Wakefield, Leeds Road in Outwood, Dewsbury Road in Ossett and Fryston Road, Castleford - as well as a supermarket in Pontefract town centre and a superstore in Hemsworth. The company said it would be undergoing consultation with staff at the affected stores, which it has not yet revealed.

Tesco also plans to sell Blinkbox and Tesco Broadband to Talk Talk and will be consulting with staff over plans to close its company defined benefit pension scheme.

The plans were announced despite improved like-for-like sales over the six-week Christmas trading period.

Dave Lewis, chief executive, said: “In difficult circumstances the team has begun the challenging task of reinvigorating our business. There is more to do but we have taken the first important steps in the right direction. We have some very difficult changes to make. Our recent performance gives us confidence that when we pull together and put the customer first we can deliver the right results.”