Tesco Express

I feel compelled to write this review after some recent changes that have taken place in store.
I live close by to this store and as a result have relied on it for the past 18 months to supplement my weekly shop (which thankfully I have a car to get to). If I had written this review 6 months ago I would have probably given the store 4 stars as it supplied all manner of useful things and seemed to have a good range of products at various price points, 4 bottles of brahma beer for £3.50, frozen chicken breasts for when you were low on food at home, sandwiches from 89p upwards etc.
Recently though they have had a ‘refurbishment’ which as taken the form of two major changes:
a) a reduction of the number of manned tills (replaced with those self serve checkouts)
b) a total stripping of the good value and useful products to be replaced with premium line, premium price products
Gone are the brahmas and simply IPA, in come an array of other beers all priced at approximately 50% higher retail value.
Gone are the lower end sandwiches, in come a bewildering selection of ‘gourmet’ offerings in quaint paper bags.
Gone are the frozen chicken breasts, but don’t worry we have plenty of gressingham duck breasts.
It comes to something when I can’t purchase a packet of chilies (not even squeezy stuff) but I have a whole ‘USA’ selection to choose from (including a bottle of A1 sauce at £2.99…).
Tesco have taken what was a useful store with a good range of products and turned it into a machine for milking customers of money.
(As a side note, I have to say the staff in here are still fantastic, always chatty and interested. The security can look a but scary as one reviewer commented but they are friendly and helpful once you speak to them.)

Just another Tesco, selling the same identikit products as every other Tesco at slightly inflated prices due to being an «Express» outlet. This store differentiates from its brethren by being particularly difficult to navigate and find what you are looking for. To add further to the joy, it seemingly has no staff who are free to assist you other than some rather scary looking security guards. No doubt I’ll be back but I don’t have a lot of love for this place.