ANDOVER Town Centre has suffered a body blow after Britain’s biggest retailer Tesco announced it was pulling out of the Metro site it has occupied for decades on 30 June.

While politicians lamented the loss those who use the supermarket regularly say they are shocked and upset.

One of the supermarket’s younger shoppers Jack Phillips, said he used the store every day and that it was convenient for a lot of people, especially lunchtime shoppers.

Businessman Ali Bilgic said: “It is a shame – we really need the town centre a bit livelier.”

Resident Grenville Freeman said the store was convenient and he liked the staff.

A Tesco spokeswoman 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.”

Read the full story in today's paper.