Yahoo News Tesco to shut 1,800 stores early this Sunday after England reach Euros final
Tesco has confirmed it will close around 1,800 stores early on Sunday (July 14) after England reached the Euro 2024 finals.
Gareth Southgate’s side reached the tournament showpiece thanks to Ollie Watkins’ superb late strike as they beat the Netherlands 2-1 in Wednesday’s semi-final. The win means England are through to the final of a major tournament on foreign soil for the first time.
Before last night's match, the supermarket giant warned it would shut more than 1,800 Express stores at 7.30pm instead of the usual 10pm or 11pm if England overcame the Netherlands. Tesco said the move would allow thousands of colleagues to get home or to the pub in time for kick-off, while still receiving their normal pay for those hours.
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Those employees who do not want to watch the match will be also paid as normal. The retailer’s larger stores will already be closed before the 8pm kick-off time.
Tesco reassured customers that stores would still be open as normal during the daytime on Sunday, so they can stock up on any essential pre-match supplies. All online orders already placed for Sunday evening would be honoured and delivered as normal.
Stores in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland would continue to remain open in line with their usual hours. Speaking yesterday (July 10), Tesco’s managing director of UK stores, Kevin Tindall, said: "We will be cheering on the Three Lions tonight against the Netherlands and hope they reach a second successive Euros final.
"We appreciate just how much this would mean to so many of our colleagues, and we want them to be able to celebrate with their family and friends. So, if we make it through to the final, we will close our stores across England in time for them to get behind Gareth Southgate and the team, and we’ll all be hoping that football will be coming home."
