Kentish Express Ashford & District
Town’s third mini Tesco opens
A much-anticipated Tesco Express opened in Ashford yesterday (Wednesday).
The new shop has opened in Eureka Place, Kennington, after an existing One Stop store was converted.
Staff employed at the One Stop, which sat in a parade of shops next to Coral, have transferred across to Tesco.
Bosses at the supermarket giant, which took over the One Stop brand in 2003, submitted a planning application for the switch in December.
News of the opening has been welcomed by residents on the Trinity Road estate.
Dave and Dorothy Turner have been living in the area for more than 50 years.
Mr Turner said: “It will be great to have a store there.
“The One Stop was very useful and it will be great to have something back there, not just for us but for all of the people in the nearby offices - although there seem to be fewer and fewer of them.”
Mrs Turner agreed and says she is looking forward to shopping there, saying: “The whole park will be better off for it - with the chemist there, and the pub, you’ve got so much there that will be useful.
“You don’t really go to a shop that size for a big shop, but you can always get the necessities; it’s an easy place to get your milk in the morning.
“I just hope they don’t have the same problem with baskets that the last store did - they got stolen so often that there were barely any left.”
Residents will be able to make regular use of the store, as it has maintained similar opening hours to the previous One Stop.
The new store will be open every day from 6am to 11pm.
It has become the third Tesco Express store to open in Ashford, with units already operating in the high street - next to B&M - and Mace Lane.
A Tesco spokesman said: “We believe the Express brand will better serve this community, offering a broader range of both branded and Tesco own brand products, as well as more fresh food and food to go.”