Supermarket giant Tesco has lodged plans to bring a new store to the exact location where it closed one of its shops last year.
During December, rumours of the big-name brand opening a store in Sunderland had circulated - with people convinced that they were going to use the city as the location for a new shop.
Now, Tesco has applied to Sunderland City Council for a licence to sell alcohol at a new Tesco Express store at Unit 62 The Bridges, Market Square.
The unit, next to Halifax Bank and opposite Café Nero, would allow the new shop to stay open after the main Bridges shopping centre has closed.
This shop would be an express size store and would be near where Tesco closed another of its branches last year - citing that they had made a 'difficult decision' to close its doors.
In April 2022, the former Tesco Metro inside The Bridges, which was unable to stay open late at night, shut its doors for the final time.
However, people living in the city centre, and shoppers from across Sunderland, had complained that the town was lacking a proper replacement for the former Tesco store which closed in April last year.
At the time of closing, a Tesco spokesperson said: “We have taken the difficult decision to close our Sunderland Express store on The Bridges.
"Our priority now is to support our colleagues that are affected, and wherever possible we will offer them alternative jobs within Tesco.”
Recommended reading:
- Man in hospital after serious assault in Bishop Auckland as three arrested
- EXCLUSIVE | Shortage of notes in County Durham cash machines after burglary attempts
- See how this Durham street has changed over the years in pictures
Get the latest news, sports, and entertainment delivered straight to your device with a subscription to The Northern Echo. Click here.
“We serve a fantastic community in Sunderland and remain committed to the town. We are looking for potential sites for a new Express store in the area.”
Twelve months on from this comment, it seems that they have the ideal site for the new shop.
A decision on the licensing application is due by January 8, 2024, when Tesco will know if they have been successful in its application.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here