THE manager of Tavistock’s brand new multi-million Tesco store says he is looking forward to opening day and the full, active part the store will play in the community.

Although an exact opening date has not been confirmed as building work gathers pace at the Plymouth Road site, a company spokesman told the Times ‘the store is due to open in the first few weeks of September’.

The 17,000 square foot superstore will be predominantly a food shop, focusing on fresh food, including cheese, deli and hot deli, fresh fish and meat counters.

It will also offer ranges including health and beauty products, essential clothing and general merchandising and entertainment.

Tesco will have a workforce of 135 people at the supermarket — 25 full time staff and 110 part-time; of the part-time positions, some will be able to work 30 hours a week, with part time workers (or colleagues as Tesco call them) employed for an average of 20 hours.

The company is also proud of the fact that of the 107 positions available from the 123 vacancies (only 16 posts were filled by transfers from other stores) they have able to offer 16 jobs to local, long-term unemployed people, who recently graduated from a pre-work training course run by Learn Devon.

Tris Somerville, the new Tavistock store’s manager, said: ‘A lot of thought has gone into the store, especially in terms of looking at the range of products we will be offering in Tavistock, catering for people’s needs and using, where possible. local suppliers.

‘We want to ensure that there is a strong choice for our customers and there will be a strong range of shopping — from our budget to our finest range to satisfy their demands.

‘We are also looking to local suppliers to source our food products and certainly we look to use producers from Devon and Cornwall as the preferred option.’

Mr Somerville, who is married with two children, is an experienced hand at the helm, having joined Tesco in 2005 and managed company stores at Padstow, Paignton, Torquay and Redruth. Opening a new brand store is not new to him — he was the manager of Tesco’s Kingsbridge store when it opened in February 2011.

Not everyone in Tavistock has laid out a ‘welcome carpet’ to Tesco.

Tavistock Chamber of Commerce voiced its objections to the store to West Devon Borough Council planners and its fear of the impact it would have on local businesses, particularly in the town centre. Borough Councillor Robert Oxborough went further when he applied for for a Judicial Review on the planning process, which gave permission to Tesco for its application to build.

However, the supermarket did have support from traders at the Plymouth Industrial Estate, anxious for the rejuvenation of the former Focus site, to attract more customers to their businesses.

Mr Somerville told the Times that he was optimistic about the store’s impact on the the town.

Tesco has now submitted plans to erect a gantry that will flagpost fellow businesses on the industrial estate.

Mr Somerville said:?‘I understand the negativity some people may feel but I do not think there will be a negative impact on local businesses.

‘I have been here for the past 11 to 12 weeks and I have had some very welcoming comments. People tell me they are looking forward to the store opening and welcoming a choice of goods from a mainstream supermarket.

‘I had some negative reaction by a few people when we opened a Tesco store at Kingsbridge, but now it is seen very much as an asset to the town, with sales continuing to go up and more footfall in the store. If I can report the same in Tavistock in four and a half years time I will be very happy.’

He is also pleased that the store will be employing a full time community champion to promote outreach work.

One example of this is the pilot of ‘Fairshare Food Cloud’ project by Tesco, which aims to donate surplus fresh food to foodbanks and other charitable projects.

He said: ‘I hope customers to our Tavistock store will find a welcome from our staff and enjoy a personal shopping experience.

‘It is important that my team, and the store itself, becomes a valuable part of the community itself.’