Tesco faces calls to keep city store open

COMMUNITY leaders in south-west Edinburgh are to be asked to join the campaign to keep a Tesco store open in Edinburgh.

The Tesco in Wester Hailes is closing down to make way for a new superstore at Hermiston Gait.

Sighthill and Gorgie Labour councillor Donald Wilson has lodged a motion to be heard at next week's south-west neighbourhood partnership, which calls for a letter to be sent to Tesco's chief executive, outlining the local community's concerns.

Two petitions are circulating in the area and have so far gathered more than 500 signatures.

Chancellor Alistair Darling, the Edinburgh South West MP, has also vowed to take up the issue with the supermarket giant.

Tesco says that the Wester Hailes store is closing because of financial difficulties, and not because of the new store planned for the old Homebase premises at Hermiston Gait.