COVENTRY MESSAGE BOARD

Stores in Coventry and Bedworth will be affected



Tesco is set to reduce the hours for hundreds of stores from Tuesday night as it copes with the fallout from the coronavirus pandemic.

Bosses at the UK's biggest supermarket have decided to close all 24-hour stores at 10pm tonight, reopening at 6am on Wednesday morning.

They will continue to open between 6am and 10pm for the immediate future, it is understood.

This will affect Coventry's Tesco stores at Arena Shopping Park and Cross Point, as well as the Extra store in Bedworth town centre.

Staff in stores were informed on Tuesday afternoon and it was not immediately clear whether those who will see shifts cut will also see a cut in pay during the uncertain times.

Tesco declined to comment.

Details are being updated online with new store opening times, and it is believed some larger 24-hour stores that have pharmacies will remain open beyond 10pm.

Tesco forced to turn people away due to 'overcrowding'



Tesco bosses were forced to turn people away due to overcrowding in the car park at its store in Bedworth today.

Due to the sheer numbers of people turning up at the store in Leicester Street, shoppers were earlier turned away from the Tesco branch.

A spokesman for Tesco said: "We briefly closed access to the car park at our Bedworth store this morning to help manage the flow of people and maintain social distancing guidelines.

"The car park is now open again and we apologise for any inconvenience caused.”

It has prompted Bedworth Safer Neigbourhood Team (SNT) officers to plea to people to remember social distancing guidelines and to only shop for essential items.

Officers also posted an image showing the crowded Aldi ad Home Bargains car park on their page on Facebook in a bid to hit the message home to people.

"Bedworth SNT are requesting that members of the public adhere to the government instructions re social distancing and shop for essential items also only travelling by car when necessary," the post reads.

"Tesco has had to turn cars away due to overcrowding and this picture (above) shows Aldi/Home Bargains car park," the post continues.

CoventryLive has contacted Tesco for a comment.