SUPERMARKET giant Tesco has announced it will shut two of its stores in Caerphilly and Tredegar today affecting 70 staff.

The Tredegar Express store in the Gwent Shopping Centre is due to close affecting 20 staff, along with the Caerphilly Metro Store on Cardiff Road, affecting 50 staff.

The announcement made today comes as Tesco business has fallen significantly short and will see 43 stores close UK wide.

Chief Executive Officer, Dave Lewis said: “In January I announced that our performance as a business has fallen significantly short of where we would want it to be and that to protect the future of the business in the UK we would close 43 unprofitable stores.

“It is with great sadness that I have to tell you that our Tredegar Express is one of the 43 we plan to close.

“The decision to close the store has been exceptionally difficult to take. “I recognise it will affect many hard working colleagues, our customers and the local community. “ Mr Lewis said their priority is to explain what this announcement means for their colleagues and wherever possible, offer them alternative roles with Tesco.

“I would like to thank all our customers who have shopped in our store,” he continued “We will continue to do our best to serve them through our local Ebbw Vale Superstore and our dotcom service.”

Of the Caerphilly store closure he added:“It is with great sadness that I have to tell you that our Caerphilly Metro is [also] one of the 43 we plan to close. “We will continue to do our best to serve them through our local Caerphilly Express and Brynhyfryd Express and our dotcom service.”