It’s well known that the supermarket chain Tesco has been having a hard time of it recently, their profits have been cut to about £squillion, instead of their usual 0.5 £squillion. So it was no surprise that they intended to close some of their stores, however I was gobsmacked when it was announced on the Scottish news tonight that one of the stores closing is to be the Kirkcaldy one. As they were asking some customers how they felt about the news I was even more surprised to see my friend Christine’s husband on the TV saying how gutted he feels about it. I feel exactly the same, although we recently moved out of the town we still travelled to Kirkcaldy to do our grocery shopping. It’s the shop we are used to and we know the staff, and it’s also a reasonable size. I can’t stand bigger shops as I feel exhausted almost before I start – if I can’t see the end of the shop. I know it means loads of walking searching for what I want, and probably giving up on finding it altogether.
Apparently it is one of their ‘loss-making’ stores, I really can’t understand how that can be because it is the busiest supermarket which I’ve been in. It doesn’t matter when you go there are always a lot of shoppers in it. It’s the only supermarket in Kirkcaldy town centre, it’s close to the bus station so is handy for people who don’t have a car. Tesco closing means that if you don’t have a car you have to make your way to a supermarket on the edge of town, or half-way to Glenrothes, by bus.
What is more, the only Post Office remaining in Kirkcaldy town centre is located inside the Tesco store, so what is going to happen there. Are we going to be left with no Post Office in Kirkcaldy?!
The employment situation in Kirkcaldy has always been dire, in fact it’s dire in the whole of Fife and I really feel for the members of staff who are going to be made unemployed, it’s not going to be easy for them to find another job. Is there any point in starting a campaign to keep the Kirkcaldy store open? It looks like it’s a done deal, but I would like to see the evidence that the store is actually loss making, it seems hardly possible to me.
It’s just a blessing that Kirkcaldy’s famous Tesco cat popped off to cat heaven in the summer! How many supermarkets had a resident cat to greet you in the doorway? If you want to know more about him have a look at the short film below.
That’s really a shame and I know how you feel. My local grocery store, just down the street from my house, closed down about a year ago. Coincidentally, it was owned by Tesco – the Fresh and Easy chain which they recently sold off. I was really devastated when it closed, but thankfully there is still one near my work that I stop in at on the way home. When I was in London my friend and I shopped at the Tesco Express in Bermondsey almost every day and we loved the friendly staff. I hope that one stays open.
Anbolyn,
I think that the Bermondsey one will be staying open. I’m so glad that you mentioned that you were also devastated by a store closure, I thought it was just my age which was making me feel like that – I hate having to change my routines! I was at Tesco today and they were all amazingly cheerful.
It does make you question why they pick the stores they do. The nearest to me shutting is over in Southampton, but I have never been. They do seem to be focussing on more northern stores. I think if we saw the facts and figures related to these stores we could see why they are closing – I only hope the staff get a good explanation and treated well. It’s sad when an area has poor employment, our area is affected by the removal of shipbuilding and loss of skills.
Jo,
I think that that branch of Tesco must have been mis-managed, otherwise it couldn’t possibly be loss making, mind you I also think it’s over-staffed. The Fife area has never recovered from the closure of the mines, done in by Thatcher, all sorts of manufacturing has disappeared and there has been nothing to replace it. Of course the local MP is Gordon Brown – nuff said!
When I was studying abroad in Cheltenham, I almost always went shopping at Tesco. There was “little Tesco” (as we called it) that was in the city centre and then “Big Tesco” which was a further walk. I wonder if both are still open now. I was excited when I heard several years ago that Tesco was making a play for the US Market, but apparently that failed.
Christy,
I think both those Tescos will still be open, they seemed to target Scotland and the north of England for closures. I had heard that they had pulled out of the US, probably not because the stores were loss making but maybe they just didn’t make huge enough profits for their liking.
Since the referendum I must admit to being more a conspiracy theorist than ever before and this particular closure reeks more than a little of a possible conspiracy.
1. This store purportedly made a £21m profit last year.
2. Gordon Brown was there when the announcement was made and was able to succour (in his case sucker more likely) the grieving staff.
3. Wouldn’t saving a large number of jobs just before GE2015 look incredibly good for Liebour especially after losing the recent council by-election
Calum,
Thanks for the information, I had my suspicions as the place is always busy. I had no idea that Brown was there at the time, mind you Labour could put a monkey up for election in that constituency and people would still vote for it. I await further developments with interest!
Thanks for taking the time to comment.