TESCO has confirmed today (17) that it will be opening a new supermarket in St Albans city centre. The supermarket giant has exchanged contracts to purchase the empty Woolworths store on St Peter s Street and will open a new Tesco Metro at the site by ear

TESCO has confirmed today (17) that it will be opening a new supermarket in St Albans city centre.

The supermarket giant has exchanged contracts to purchase the empty Woolworths store on St Peter's Street and will open a new Tesco Metro at the site by early summer next year.

Tesco spokesperson Carole Lesley confirmed that the existing Tesco Metro on St Peter's Street - measuring 5,000 square metres - would close down and be replaced by the new store, which has double the floor space at10,000 square metres.

She added: "It is still early days yet but I can confirm that Tesco will certainly be taking over the old Woolworths store. The new Metro store, which will be twice the size of the old one, will create many employment opportunities for St Albans."

She was unable to comment on the future of the Tesco scheme for a superstore on the former Eversheds printing works in London Road which was turned down by district council planners last year.