Tesco sparks coffee conflict!

Tesco opened its new café today (Monday) on Pool Road, Newtown, providing residents with the opportunity to ‘shop and hot choc’ but it appears that the town centre cafes will hold their own.

Mynewtown carried out an ‘elevens’s watch’ with a correspondent located at both the new Tesco facility as well as the popular town centre Evans café at 11am today. And there was clearly one winner.

While shoppers and inquisitive first timers ensured the Tesco café made a slow but steady start, double the numbers were warming their cockles in Evans with not a spare seat in the house.

“I must admit I thought it would have been a bit busier today but I can’t fault the service and the quality,” said Joanne Thomas, from Newtown, who extended her shopping trip to experience the Tesco café.

Meanwhile, down the road, Evans’ customers were well aware of the new café but were in no rush to change their habits just yet.

“Like a lot of people, I have been coming here for a long time and just because Tesco has opened its café, it doesn’t mean I will be rushing up there,” said pensioner, David Davies. “I’m quite happy wondering into town and stopping for a cuppa here than going all the way up there.”

Meanwhile, 14 miles down the road, Tesco’s Welshpool store has started advertising its 200 job vacancies and expects to have them filled by Christmas. Applications are being taken directly by Tesco or through JobCentre Plus.