Tesco Express to take over old Woolworths store in Wealdstone

TESCO is to open a mini supermarket on the site of the former Woolworths store in Wealdstone that closed on January 2.
The Hertfordshire-based retail giant will split the premises into a large unit for its Tesco Express business - open daily 6am to 11pm - and a smaller unit that will be rented out.
Chairman of Wealdstone Traders Association, Milan Shah, of Pineapple Boutique, said: "Many of the traders will welcome them but perhaps Budgens and some of the small newsagents will have a problem because it's in direct competition and Tesco is a very strong business.
"For the area, though, it will be a plus because at the moment, we're in a position where the High Street is quite empty.
"What we find, especially on Saturdays, is that most shoppers go out of Wealdstone to do their food shopping, and this new store will encourage people to shop locally."
Mr Shah said that ironically, Budgens actually used to be a Tesco store in the 1980s.
Wealdstone councillor Philip O'Dell (Labour) welcomed the news, saying that the town has needed a supermarket like this for years.
Although Tesco does not need planning permission to open the store, it has submitted four linked planning applications to Harrow Council to make minor amendments to the premises, such as installing a cash machine by the front door.