A much-anticipated Tesco Express is due to open in Ashford tomorrow.

The new shop is opening in Eureka Place, Kennington, after an existing One Stop store was converted.

Signs are in place and the shelves are all but full, with the final preparations taking place ahead of a morning opening.

Staff employed at the One Stop, which sits in a parade of shops next to Coral, will transfer across to Tesco.

The new shop will become the third Tesco Express store to open in Ashford, with units already operating in the high street and Mace Lane.

The bosses of the hugely popular retail chain, which took over the One Stop brand in 2003, submitted a planning application for the switch in December.

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.

"Colleagues working at these stores will transfer across onto Tesco terms and conditions under TUPE (Transfer of Undertakings Protection of Employment) regulations."

The news of the upcoming opening has been welcomed by residents, who will be served by the store alongside anyone who works in the offices across the road.

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 said: "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 that 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!"

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