Tesco launches bid for 24-hour opening in Walsall

Tesco is to push for 24-hour opening at its new Walsall town centre store - promising dozens of extra jobs, it has been revealed.

It will make it the second all hours town centre supermarket following Asda in George Street which opens 24-hours Monday to Saturday.

The Tesco Extra store, being built on the site of the former Walsall College in Littleton Street West, is expected to open before the end of the year and bosses had already announced 200 jobs would be created.

Now there could be even more posts up for grabs when the recruitment drive begins in the autumn if the proposed opening hours are approved by Walsall Council in order to cover the long hours.

Tony Fletcher, corporate affairs manager for Tesco, said: "We aim to operate 24- hour opening in our Extra format stores wherever possible. We find that customers - especially shift workers - benefit from being able to do their shopping at different times of the day, particularly outside peak times."

Plans for the store's signage have today been submitted to the council and include 24-hour opening emblazoned across the front of the building.

It will mean shoppers will be able to food shop, but also use the store's other services including a pharmacy, opticians, phone shop and photo shop day and night.

The supermarket is also to sell clothing and electrical items and have its own cafe and petrol station — all of which will also be open 24 hours under the proposals.

The multi-million pound supermarket is already beginning to dominate the Walsall town centre skyline.

Its imposing shell of the 10,880 sq metre store is now in place as work gathers pace on the site which is also to feature a 750 space car park.

The land was vacated by Walsall College last summer after the completion of the new Wisemore campus in Littleton Street West.