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Tesco reopens final former Shoprite store

Rebecca Brahde
BBC News, Isle of Man
BBC The exterior of the new store, which is a white building with a sign that reads Tesco express in red and blue on a white background. A row of trolleys are lined up on the right of the large glass double doors at the entrance.BBC
The latest store opening completes the conversion of all nine former Shoprite stores

The last of nine new Tesco stores has opened on the Isle of Man following the supermarket chain's takeover of Shoprite.

The new Express store on Victoria Road replaces the Winerite Neighbourhood Food Store on the site.

Area Manager Richard Frear said the takeover had seen a "herculean effort" across the firm, from hiring and training new staff to transporting equipment and stock.

The latest opening completes the conversion of those supermarket sites into five superstores and four express stores over the past 12 months.

In October 2023, Shoprite announced it had sold all of its stores to the retail giant after 50 years of trading.

Google The exterior of Winerite, which is a large white building with a car park in front and a white and green sign that reads WineRite - By the case, by the bottle, buy the lot.Google
The new Tesco Express on Victoria Road replaces Shoprite's former Winerite

Mr Frear said the firm was "super proud to complete the journey" of opening all nine new stores, which had created about 120 new jobs.

The supermarket chain now wanted to "continue to have a positive impact in the local community" through its Stronger Starts and food donation programmes, he said.

As with the other eight stores, the latest official opening is coupled with a £1,000 donation to a Manx charity, with the latest to benefit being Cruse Bereavement.

Richard Frear, who has short dark hair and a dark beard. He is wearing a navy blue gilet, powder blue shirt and name badge which says Richard. There are rows of colourful goods on the shelves behind him.
Richard Frear said the firm aimed to increase the number of local suppliers in Manx stores

Mr Frear said while the firm already stocked the goods of 11 local suppliers, it hoped to increase the number on offer in the island's stores to "be Manx wherever we possibly can", he added.

The rebranding of the nine former Shoprite stores began in Castletown with the chain's Arbory Street site, which reopened in February 2024.

Along with the existing Tesco superstore on Lake Road, which opened in 2000, it means the retailer now has 10 shops on the island.

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