Tesco is to close all of its Express stores early this Sunday so staff can watch England in the final of the Euros.
After Gareth Southgate ‘s Three Lions squad successfully secured their place in the final of European football ‘s flagship tournament last night, the supermarket retailer was quick to announce its intentions of shutting up shop early especially for the highly-anticipated sporting event in just a couple of days time.
England are to face Spain in the final of UEFA Euro 2024 this Sunday night (14 July), following a 2-1 win over the Netherlands in last night’s semi final.
A penalty scored by captain Harry Kane in the first half, and a dramatic winning goal by Aston Villa’s star striker, Ollie Watkins, in the 89th minute was what lead England to the grand final in emphatic style.
Image: The FA (via X)
It was merely minutes after Watkins found the back of the net, and the on-pitch, in-stadium, and UK-wide celebrations had died down, that Tesco hopped straight onto social media to let shoppers know that its Express stores throughout England would be operating on reduced hours and closing their doors earlier than normal on Sunday.
The supermarket retailer wasted no time at all following Ollie Watkins’ 89th-minute winner to hop onto social media and announce its reduced opening hours this Sunday. Read Tesco’s statement in full here
Wasting no time at all in sharing its intentions, Tesco wrote in a statement shared to Instagram : “It’s time. Time for another massive final. That’s why we’re giving our incredible colleagues the time they deserve to enjoy it by closing every Express store across England at 7:30pm on Sunday.
“It’s the least we can do after all their hard work. And come kick-off, England deserve every little bit of support.”
Tesco operates more than 1,800 Express stores across England, and these smaller convenience stores generally operate with closing hours of 10pm or 11pm – but this Sunday, with the Euros final set to kick off at 8pm, they will shut up shop at the earlier time of 7:30pm to allow employees to head home and cheer on the lads.
Stores in Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland, however, will continue to remain open in line with their usual hours.
All staff in England stores will are to still receive their normal pay despite the reduced hours, Tesco has confirmed, and those employees who do not want to watch the football will also be paid as normal too.
As the final falls on a Sunday, the retailer’s larger stores in England will already be closed by the time the match kicks off, and Tesco has reassured shoppers that all stores nationwide will reopen as normal on Monday morning (15 July) – with the majority open from 6am or 7am.
All online orders which have already been placed for Sunday evening willbe honoured and delivered as normal, Tesco has also confirmed.
Featured Image – Wikimedia Commons
Sport
Inside the huge multi-million-pound makeover transforming Leeds United’s facilities
Yorkshire interior design specialist Design Tonic has completed a major series of projects for Leeds United Football Club.
A new era for Leeds United is on the horizon, and we're catching a first glimpse of it already.
Design Tonic is a long-standing design and build partner of the football club that has delivered approximately 30,000 sq ft of new and refurbished space, completed to coincide with the start of the new premier league season.
The latest work has been designed to support the club’s continued development of plans for Elland Road, including the new West Stand.
Image: Supplied (Pink Gorilla)
The main element of the programme has been the full design and build of a new 20,000 sq ft temporary hospitality marquee at Elland Road, providing high-quality hospitality facilities while the West Stand is redeveloped.
The facility incorporates four individual hospitality suites with capacity for approximately 1,000 guests with interiors carefully considered to deliver a high-end experience.
Images: Supplied (Pink Gorilla)
Alongside the temporary hospitality facility, Design Tonic has delivered a series of significant upgrades throughout Elland Road including the creation of a new Presidents Lounge transforming a previous back-of-house area into a premium hospitality environment, a new Chairman’s Guest Lounge, and refurbishment of the club’s reception and boardroom.
Head of IT and facilities at Leeds United Football Club, Mark Broadley, said: “Design Tonic has become a trusted partner to Leeds United. They understand both the operational requirements of a football club and the importance of ensuring every environment feels unmistakably Leeds United.
Images: Supplied (Pink Gorilla)
“This has been a particularly important project for us, supporting the next stage of development at Elland Road while ensuring our hospitality guests continue to receive a high- quality experience. At the same time, the improvements at Thorp Arch enhance the everyday environments available to our players and Academy.
“The completed spaces look fantastic and provide an excellent platform as the club starts the new Premier League season.”
Leeds United among Premier League clubs with the cheapest pints, new data reveals
Clementine Hall
Leeds United fans looking for a crisp pre-match pint, you're in luck.
Why? Because new data has revealed Leeds United as one of the Premier League clubs offering the cheapest pints.
It's al down to credit card provider Zable who analysed the average price of a pint at pubs near every Premier League stadium, revealing which fanbases pay the most, and least, for their pre-match drink.
You'll be glad to know that Leeds United ranked a very respectable fifth among the Premier League teams with the cheapest pre-match pints, with fans paying an average of £4.74 at pubs near the Elland Road Stadium.
Images: The Hoot Leeds
However, if fans are looking to grab a drink inside the stadium, they face a higher price tag, with a pint costing £5.60, a difference of over 18%.
Newly promoted Coventry supporters are getting the best deal in the league with the average pint nearby to the stadium costing £4.16, whilst Sunderland came in second please (£4.41), followed by Hull City (£4.70).
The top 10 most expensive pre-game pint prices at nearby stadium pubs:
Coventry (£4.16)
Sunderland (£4.41)
Hull City (£4.70)
Bournemouth (£4.72)
Leeds United (£4.74)
Liverpool (£4.95)
Newcastle United (£5.07)
Manchester United (£5.18)
Ipswich Town (£5.27)
Nottingham Forest (£5.34)
Adam McAllister at Zable says: "For many fans, grabbing a pint before kick-off is part and parcel of the matchday experience, but our research shows that where you choose to drink can make a noticeable difference to the price. While stadium pints are often assumed to be more expensive, that's not always the case.
"With the cost of attending football continuing to add up, from tickets and travel to food and drinks, small differences like these can make a real impact on the overall cost of a matchday. Taking a little time to compare prices before heading to the stadium this season could help fans make their money go further, whether they choose to have a pint at the pub or inside the ground."