Walton: Tesco to take over former Woolworths site (From Clacton and Frinton Gazette)

Walton: Tesco to take over former Woolworths site

9:15am Thursday 11th June 2009 in Local By James Dwan

SUPERMARKET giant Tesco has revealed plans for a new store at the former Woolworths site in Walton.

Residents feared the resort would become a ghost town when the store – one of the biggest shop sites in Walton - closed on December 30.

It was one of more than 800 Woolworths stores across the country to close its doors after the company went into administration in November with debts of £385million.

Carol Leslie, of Tesco, confirmed the company is looking to open a store at the site.

“We will need to put in a planning application for signage and an ATM over the next three months,” she said.

“It is early days at the moment and I don’t know when the store will be opening.

“It has retail use so we will not require permission for a change of use, but this would mean the creation of between 25 and 30 new jobs.”