LOCAL MP Sir George Young has commented on the impending closure of the Tesco store in the centre of Andover.

Sir George said he was sad to hear that Tesco propose to close their Metro Store in the Chantry Centre at the end of June.

"Tesco have been busy opening stores in the town over the past few years, and it is disappointing that they have now decided to close the store in the heart of the town. I hope they can find alternative work for the 57 employees there."

Sir George said he also hoped another retailer would take over the premises soon. "Andover is a fast-growing town, and the purchasing power of the local population is rising. This is an opportunity for someone not currently with a presence in the town to take over a key site."

A Tesco spokesman said “Closing the store was a difficult decision and our priority is to do everything we can to find alternative roles within Tesco for as many affected colleagues as possible.

"We’ll continue to serve customers in Andover from our Extra on River Way and through our online grocery shopping service.”