Tesco to close popular store on high street – so ‘sad’

In a fresh wave of store closures, Tesco will bid farewell to one of its sites in England next week.

First announced in December, the final closure date has now been set for a branch in Romford.

The supermarket chain is the retail market leader in the UK but has dwindled in popularity among consumers.

Aldi, M&S Food, and Lidl were the most popular three supermarket chains in the final quarter of 2024, according to the latest figures published by Statista.

All three topped the ranking, with 78% of respondents having a positive opinion of the food retailers. Meanwhile, Tesco came in third place, with 72% of those polled in the study giving positive opinions.

The Chadwell Heath Tesco Express store in High Road, Romford, will shut its doors for the last time at the end of the month on January 27.

A spokesperson for Tesco said that the decision to close the store wasn’t taken lightly, adding: “We continue to serve the local area through a number of nearby stores.”

They said that “colleagues will continue to be consulted about this change, and will have the option to transfer to nearby stores”.

However, it’s not softened the blow for locals who rely on the Tesco Express store. Posting on a local Facebook group, one said: “Sad as nice staff; I don’t do big Tescos – too impersonal.”

One person branded it “another nail in the coffin” for the high street following big changes to the offering of shops over the years.

A disgruntled resident wrote: “The Poundland opposite has gone as well. There used to be a nice cafe which is now yet another chicken place. Only Sainsbury’s left, and I bet the council is eyeing their carpark for a new tower block.”

Another said: “Chadwell Heath high road is going to look even worse now”.

The nearest Tesco stores are Goodmayes Rowallen Express in Rowallen Parade and Goodmayes Extra in High Road.

The closure of the Tesco store in Chadwell Heath comes just five months after a site in Chippenham ceased trading.

A new site was secured on Chippenham High Street, which reopened as a Tesco Express to replace the former superstore.

One local wrote on social media: “Huge loss to Chippenham. Appalling that it has got to the point where we will have no supermarket in the town centre.

“Many elderly and vulnerable people who live near the town centre (and don’t have transport) have relied on it for years. It is an excellent store. What we will be left with is a puny Tesco Express, with few lines and increased cost.”

A second site in Cambridgeshire shut for the final time on September 6, 2024. However, as Tesco has assured customers, there’s no sign of further closures. The company continues to operate over 2,000 stores across the UK.