Bosses last night confirmed that its St Andrew's Ridge branch would close on Saturday.

The 16-strong workforce are to be offered alternative jobs at remaining stores.

Spokesman John Church said: "We have spoken to the staff and despite determined efforts to make the store a success people are choosing to do their shopping at our larger Abbey Meads store.

"Reluctantly, we have taken the decision to close."

The former One Stop store was closed for four weeks in January 2004 while the new owners Tesco carried out a refit and re-trained staff.

A former manager, who asked not to be named, attacked the decision to close.

She said: "A great deal of hard work went into converting that store. We re-trained existing staff and brought in new ones. A lot of money was spent re-fitting it.

"Some of our customers ­ mostly of them elderly ­ said they missed us when we had to close for a month."

The Abbey Meads branch is about a 15-minute walk away.

Drinkers at The Jovial Monk pub seemed less than pleased too.

Landlady Sheila Cleary said: "It's absolutely disgusting. The people of St Andrew's Ridge really rely on this store ­ we need it for everyday items like bread, milk and papers.

"All my customers have been talking about it today they're not very happy. A 15-minute walk is a fair distance especially if you're old."

The company has been buying up convenience stores and turning them into Tesco Express outlets. But it has not all gone smoothly.

It ran into problems when it converted a One Stop store at Shaw Village Centre. Bosses had wanted to close the adjoining post office but following a hard-fought campaign residents forced a U-turn.

In Cricklade, its store has had graffiti sprayed on the walls.

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Councillor Justin Tomlinson also condemned this decision, "This is a real blow to the local community, and I shocked that after spending so much on the refurbishment that they are now prepared to withdraw from the site.  Local residents rely on good local facilities, and I hope either Tescos will reconsider, or an alternative operator steps into the breach."