ANDOVER town centre lost one of its biggest retailers when the Tesco Metro in Chantry Way closed its doors for the final time last Sunday.

The supermarket closure also saw the loss of 57 jobs.

The retail giant still has a presence in the town with its Extra store in River Way, and a number of Express stores in the area.

The announcement of the closure in March saw politicians lamenting the loss, and those who use the supermarket regularly say they are upset by its closure.

Despite a petition launched by UKIP to keep the store in the centre of town, the retailer committed to its end of June exit.

When the news of the departure was annnounced in March, MP Sir George Young said: “This is an opportunity for someone not currently with a presence in the town to take over a key site.”

A borough council spokeswoman said the vacant space offers an excellent opportunity.

“Although the council has no control over companies moving in or out of the town centre, we remain committed to increasing the number of shoppers and visitors in the town to make Andover an attractive prospect for local, regional and national businesses.”