Traders fear ruin over Tesco

Businessmen in Willenhall Road have joined forces to keep their businesses afloat as work to construct the new mini-mart ploughs ahead at at rapid pace.

The new convenience store, Tesco's latest planned outlet in the city, is set to open to shoppers from around January 10 and will stock fresh produce, foods items and toiletries. But other shop owners fear it will drive them out of business.

Surinder Chand, who owns the Premier Stores shop in Willenhall Road, said: "This will put some people out of business.

"These shops are the hub of the community and some of them have been there for up to 30 years. However people will not stop at them once the Tesco store is there, they will just go there for everything.

"It is not just the other convenience stores that are going to suffer. There is a sandwich shop which will be affected just as much.

"People are very worried about this. It puts at risk the survival of smaller businesses, shops and convenience stores which are usually run by families, meaning they could suffer hardship or financial ruin."

He warned that at least 10 shops along the busy stretch could be forced to close their doors.

With the wraps set to come off the Willenhall Road store, Tesco bosses are also preparing to open a shop in Penn Road on January 12 and are in talks for another small branch on Tettenhall Road.

They said that around 100 jobs could be created with the three branches. But Mr Chand said they should think about the number of jobs which could be lost.

A Tesco Express spokeswoman said that from past experience its new stores had made a positive impact on other local retailers.

By Victoria Nash