Tesco Express today revealed a new range of shop fronts designed to make stores blend better into their local communities.
The new looks have been inspired by the comments and thoughts of local people and customers who wanted more subtle and welcoming designs that make the instore offer much more visible from outside.
The designs will enable new Express stores to sit comfortably within the existing architecture of different kinds of buildings -- in many cases restoring original features.
Tesco Express Chief Executive Colin Holmes said:
"Our Express stores are hugely popular with over 7 million customers each week and we have listened to what they have been telling us. They want our shops to blend in better to their neighbourhood, so we’ve developed new shopfronts that will enable us to take a more flexible approach when we design new stores.
"This will also mean going back to stores where we know we have got it wrong and giving them a much improved shop front," he said.
Designs are being finalised, with landlords and local authorities being approached at the moment. Initial reactions to the new looks have been positive.
At one end of the spectrum a ‘contemporary’ design is being developed for urban city Express stores, using modern architecture, open glazing and has a simple "Tesco" above the door.
At the other end, a traditional look is being developed and it is hoped stores such as Old Brompton Road in London and the Strand will receive this treatment. Restoring the architecture of the original shop fronts will give stores such as these a more classic look, while keeping the shop front open and welcoming.
The shopfronts will feature a new Tesco Express logo, which for the first time will see Express appear in white out of a dark blue, as opposed to the traditional Tesco colours of red and blue.
The architect working with Tesco on the new designs, Graham Tytherleigh of Aukett Tytherleigh, is a neighbour and a critic of the current Express shopfront in his local store in Highgate. He approached Tesco Express last year with ideas on how he thought the shop fronts should be developed. He explains:
"As a resident in Highgate I saw a depressed, lacklustre Europa store turn overnight into a high-street shop with motivated staff and a highly improved offer. However, I found the loud colours of this and other Express stores unnecessary and I believe in some settings they actually work against the popular shopping offer that was available inside.
"Tesco Express Stores occupy a variety of different building styles, often period terraces in conservation areas, so it is important the strengths of each building are identified and, where appropriate, original architectural detail reinstated.
"The new designs will see many fascias reduced to original proportion so they wiill now match those of their neighbours. The logo has been simplified and reversed out of a dark blue background and only the letter characters will now be illuminated to give a restrained but clear message at night." Tytherleigh said
