A major supermarket giant has announced it will close most of its stores over Easter.

Tesco will shutter its major stores in England, Northern Ireland and Wales on Easter Sunday, March 31.

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This is because shops in England and Wales larger than 280 square meters must close on Easter Sunday and Christmas Day, according to government rules.

Sunday trading laws stipulate that shops that choose to remain open may only do so for six consecutive hours between 10am and 6pm.

Tesco stores in Scotland are open on Sundays from 8am to 8pm.

The supermarket chain has also announced that many of its major stores will also have shorter opening hours on Easter Monday, at 8pm.

Most Tesco Express stores will remain open on Sunday, with all stores returning to normal opening hours on Monday.

On Good Friday many of the shops are open as normal, but those that are normally open late close earlier at 10pm.

These are not guaranteed opening hours and vary depending on the store.

Shoppers are therefore advised to check the opening times of their local store on the Tesco store locator.

You can find the locator by typing ‘Tesco store locator’ into Google.

Then enter your city or zip code and the nearest store will be displayed.

It is also the best place to check petrol station opening times as these may differ from the main store opening hours.

Tesco has over 800 stores nationwide, consisting of regular supermarkets, Extra stores and Express stores.

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Meanwhile, several other supermarkets have already confirmed what their opening hours will be during the Easter holidays.

Aldi said its stores in England and Wales will be closed on Easter Sunday.

However, they are open on Good Friday and Easter Saturday from 8am to 10pm.

The shops are also open on Easter Monday from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.

You can check the opening times of your local store at www.stores.aldi.co.uk/store-finder.

Asda has also adjusted its opening hours over the Easter weekend, but depending on location, your local store opening hours may differ.

On Good Friday and Easter Saturday the shops are open from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m.

All shops are closed on Easter Sunday, but open on Easter Monday from 6am to 10pm.

You can check the opening times of your local store at www.storelocator.asda.com.

Lidl supermarkets are open on Good Friday, but completely closed on Easter Sunday.

On Easter Friday, Saturday and Monday the shops are open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.

You can check the opening times of your local store at www.lidl.co.uk/c/store-finder/s10023098.

Morrisons has special opening hours during the Easter weekend.

The shops are open from 7am to 10pm on Good Friday and open normally on Easter Saturday.

However, all shops are closed on Easter Sunday.

On Easter Monday the shops are open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.

You can check the opening hours of your local store at www.my.morrisons.com/storefinder/.

Sainsbury’s has special opening hours during the Easter weekend.

The shops are open on Good Friday from 8am to 10pm and on Easter Saturday from 8am to 9pm.

However, all shops are closed on Easter Sunday.

On Easter Monday the shops are open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.

You can check the opening times of your local store at www.stores.sainsburys.co.uk.

A SUPERMARKET giant has revealed plans to close one of its warehouses as part of the latest shake-up, putting 500 jobs at risk.

Waitrose has started a consultation process over the possible closure of its Enfield branch in north London, which only opened in 2020.

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The supermarket chain, owned by the John Lewis Partnership, is likely to close the warehouse this summer before the lease expires in early 2025.

The Enfield Customer Fulfillment Center is a warehouse used to collect and deliver online orders for customers in some areas of North London. It was launched amid a surge in demand for online grocery shopping at the start of the Covid-19 pandemic.

It is understood that Waitrose plans to move orders currently going through the site to two other sites.

A final decision on the proposals will not be made until the consultation process, which is expected to last at least 12 weeks, is completed.

A Waitrose spokesperson said: “As rental costs at Enfield increase due to the expansion and capacity elsewhere in our network, we are considering closing the site.

“While not an option we explore lightly, the proposal would maintain our high level of customer service for Waitrose.com and support future growth.

“It is in no way a reflection of the hard work and dedication of our team.

“No decision will be made until we have fully consulted with all partners at our Enfield site, who will be supported throughout the process.”

The planned job cuts are part of cost savings at parent group John Lewis Partnership.

Last week, Sharon White, the partnership’s chairman, told reporters there is “no target” for job cuts, but indicated some roles will be affected by the turnaround strategy.

“Part of our renewal plan is to become simpler and more flexible,” she said.

“As a result, there will be less need for certain positions in some areas in the coming years, but there is no specific target.”

The decision comes as John Lewis announced plans to renovate 80 of its existing Waitrose stores over the next three years.

Looking ahead to the remainder of 2024, the company added in its recent annual results release that it would also “open new Waitrose stores in areas where the brand is undeserved.”

In addition, customers in John Lewis stores will be able to benefit from approximately 80 new brands, a strengthened own brand and a revamped Home category.

Elsewhere, hundreds of jobs and shops are at risk after Ted Baker confirmed plans to bring in administrators.

No Ordinary Designer Label (NODL), owned by Authentic Brands Group (ABG) and trading as Ted Baker, filed a letter of intent on Tuesday.

And shoppers are left desperate after M&S confirmed the exact date it will close one of its branches.

The upmarket retailer is closing branches in several locations and opening 104 new ‘bigger and fresher’ stores in a bid to update its portfolio.

HOME-Bargains has slashed the price of a GIANT version of an iconic chocolate treat.

The retailer is selling the Grand Ferrero Rocher milk for just £3, but not everyone is impressed.

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The giant chocolate treat has been reduced by 43% just in time for Easter, so instead of €5.25, customers can buy one for just €2.99.

The Grand Ferrero Rocher weighs 125g, which is considerably larger than the regular sized chocs.

However, reviews about the product show that this jumbo chocolate treat is more of a miss than a hit.

One person who reviewed the product said: “I love Ferrero Rocher chocolate, but this tasted like a very cheap version of it.”

Another added: “Pointless waste of money.”

While a third chocolate fan commented: “Don’t buy this as a gift for anyone, it’s just a thin shell of nutty chocolate.”

Many of the reviews were from people who expected the Grand Ferrero Rocher to be normally full.

One disgruntled Ferrero fan wrote: “It’s just an empty, hollow shell. I expected it to be filled with Nutella, a complete waste of money.”

Don’t buy this as a gift for anyone!

Social media user

The product description on the Home Bargains website states that the item is “a delicious hollow shell of the finest chocolate” and we also checked other sites.

Tesco also stock the Ferrero Rocher Grand, although it is more expensive at £6.50, and the description states that the egg is hollow.

Some websites also have a photo showing the item once it has been broken open, showing the cavity inside.

However, the product is very striking, so it can easily be assumed that it is a giant replica of the original, complete with padding.

Morrisons also stock the chocolate treat, and it costs £4.50, so if you want to try it, Home Bargains is currently the cheapest around.

Meanwhile, consumers reacted very differently to another Ferrero Rocher product hitting shelves in January.

A sweet-toothed Facebook user spotted the white chocolate hazelnut egg on the shelves of their local Tesco branch.

The luxury egg was cut from £15 to £10 for Clubcard holders.

Although this egg is also hollow, it is filled with the classic foil-wrapped Ferrero Rocher chocolate.

One chocolate fan raved about the egg online, saying: “My dreams have come true.”

Another said: “Yummy.”

Supermarket shelves are currently full of Easter treats and offers. It’s hard to know where to go for the best selection and the cheapest price.

To help you out, we tested branded Easter eggs and the winner beats both Cadbury and Lindt.

This week we also looked at where you can go to buy the cheapest Easter eggs, as supermarkets battle it out in the price war.

We’ve included retailers like Asda, Tesco, Sainsbury’s and Iceland.

Choc fans may be pleased to know that two major supermarkets have recently slashed prices on some Lindt chocolate Easter eggs this week

If you haven’t purchased your Easter eggs yet, we can also reveal the exact date of purchase to ensure you get the cheapest prices.

ITV faces losing some of its biggest stars to streaming giant Netflix after both Simon Cowell and Holly Willoughby have reportedly signed up for their own shows.

TV presenter Holly, 43, was previously the face of daytime as the host of This Morning, while Simon, 64, was the king of Saturday nights after producing a string of lucrative talent-based shows for the broadcaster.

However, in the last week it has been revealed that both stars have signed to join forces with Netflix, rather than ITV, for their next projects.

They join several other ITV stars who have appeared or are set to appear on Netflix in the near future, including Joel Dommett, Michelle Keegan and Matt and Emma Willis.

Joel, who is the current host of ITV’s The Masked Singer, was reported to have  landed a major role as a host for a new game show on Netflix in December.

The signing means the TV presenter, 38, landed a TV treble, as he presents BBC1’s Saturday night show Survivor as well as The Masked Singer.

While the details of the show have not been revealed, Joel apparently started filming the programme in an East London TV studio late last year, according to The Sun.

A TV insider told the publication at the time: ‘Joel is one of the most in-demand presenters right now and this just proves it.

‘It’s rather unprecedented to be the star man across three networks but clearly he’s doing something right. Joel is really excited by the new show.’

Meanwhile, Michelle Keegan, who was aligned with ITV for years as Tina McIntyre on the show’s long-running soap Coronation Street, now also works with Netflix.

Michelle, 36, appeared in the Harlan Coben adaptation of Fool Me Once earlier this year which was binge-watched around the globe.

It has since been reported that she is poised to score a multi-million pound deal from Netflix to help her crack America after the success of the series.

She starred alongside Joanna Lumley in the hit thriller which shot to the top of the Netflix charts worldwide in January.

It has now been reported that following the popularity the streaming platform is keen to secure Michelle for a number of other projects.

The offer could help the former soap star crack America, and also bag a massive paycheck.

The Sun: ‘She’s proved you don’t have to be the stereotypical plum-voiced leading lady to appeal to an international audience.

‘Michelle offers something different, but with all the charm, glamour and sex appeal that makes her one of Britain’s most exciting acting exports. America is seen as a market where they believe she could make the greatest impact.’

The insider added: ‘With so many rival streamers eyeing Michelle up now, it’s a no-brainer for Netflix to sign her. But they’re likely to have to offer her a six-figure sum to keep her for multiple projects.’

Meanwhile, TV presenting couple Emma Willis and her husband Matt, who are ITV favourites, also signed up with Netflix to front the UK version of Love Is Blind.

Emma currently hosts The Voice on ITV after first joining in 2014, she moved with the show once it was bought by ITV in 2017 after previously airing on the BBC.

Her husband Matt, 40, is also a regular face on the channel, after previously co-hosting the I’m A Celeb spin-off with his wife.

He has also played the role of Garth Stubbs in the ITV sitcom Birds Of A Feather.

But they are both taking their talents to Netflix as the faces of the British version of the dating show, where contestants fall in love ‘sight unseen#.

They were named as the hosts of Love Is Blind UK after seeing off some tough competition from other celebrity couples in August last year.

The presenting job is the first time in more than a decade that the couple, who married in 2008 and have three children, have hosted a show together.

The format of the show, which first launched in the U.S. on Netflix, sees couples meet for the first time in two pods without being able to see each other before one pops the question and they are able to meet properly for the first time.

After the announcement, Matt said: ‘I’m so excited to be presenting the UK version of Love Is Blind with Emma. We love the show!

‘It’s been such a dream working together and fascinating to watch the process unfold. Experiencing this new project side by side has been really amazing and I can’t wait for people to come on this journey with us.’ 

Meanwhile, Emma said: ‘I love to play matchmaker with my friends and love LOVE so I am so excited to be co-hosting the first ever UK version of Love Is Blind. 

‘I’m intrigued to see people connect on a purely emotional and mental level right off the bat, without visuals playing a part. 

‘Plus – you’re getting double Willis! I’ve loved going to work with Matt and we’re both obsessed with the show, so it seemed like the perfect opportunity!’

Another big name apparently set to sign with Netflix is Simon Cowell, who is said to be in talks with the platform to launch a talent show to find the next One Direction. 

The music mogul helped form the band, made up of Harry Styles, Louis Tomlinson, Zayn Malik, Liam Payne and Niall Horan on The X Factor in 2010.

He then signed the group to his record label, Syco Records, and the band soon skyrocketed to global success, becoming one of the best-selling boybands of all time.

Now Simon is said to be looking to find another group that can equal One Direction’s success, with a new talent contest.

According to The Sun, filming for the show is believed to have already begun in the UK in partnership with production company Box To Box films.

Sources have claimed that Simon was in a bidding war after first pitching the show, with Apple and Prime Video also keen to come on board.

However, they say he is now in talks with Netflix and ready to sign a huge deal, and has already joined forced with a PR firm to prepare to announce the show in the coming weeks. 

The source told the publication: ‘Simon is preparing to sign a huge deal with Netflix to find the world’s next biggest boy band. 

‘He is working with the team behind Drive To Survive on the show and wanted to get it on a streamer because it fits the audience better. Simon knew The X Factor had grown tired so he wanted to do something that looked completely fresh and new.

‘He is renowned for spotting talent and One Direction’s success came off the back of him putting them together. Simon wants to replicate this and find a group who can reach the heights One Direction did. 

‘Filming for the show has already started in the UK and he is so excited about what’s to come.’

Simon’s new project comes six years after the final series of The X Factor, which he admitted took a toll on him.

Most recently, Holly sensationally signed to Netflix to host a celebrity jungle-based reality show named Bear Hunt, MailOnline exclusively revealed.

The presenter, who quit ITV’s This Morning last October, will appear on the show alongside star survival expert, Bear Grylls.

Described by television insiders a more challenging version of the BBC’s Survivor, celebrity contestants will be pitted against Grylls. It will be filmed in the South American jungle.

It is Holly’s first show away from terrestrial television.

A show insider told MailOnline: ‘It’s a great and such an exciting fresh series and of course a great challenge for Holly.

‘It’s a great opportunity for her.’

The show, which is produced by Grylls’ company, will see him pursue celebrity contestants and when he catches them, they will be eliminated.

Holly’s new job comes just days after Cat Deeley replaced her on This Morning, five months after she announced her departure.

She will begin filming the programme later in the year and it is expected to air in 2025.

Netflix bosses are said to be ‘ecstatic’ that they have been able to hire her. One said: ‘Holly was their woman for this project from the word go.

‘They are absolutely delighted to have got her to sign on the line, hopefully there will be many more opportunities to work with her down the line too.’

Holly, 43, will be familiar with the jungle surroundings. 

In 2018 she hosted I’m A Celeb alongside Declan Donnelly – the highest rated series ever.

Shoppers are devastated after a retail giant with 1,400 branches will close its doors for good in weeks.

The retail giant has confirmed the impending closure of one of its stores in Berkshire.

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WHSmith announced it is rolling down the shutters of the store on the busy high street in Slough for the final time.

Next to the post office, the store is emptied of stationery and books.

The local population will now have to take their baskets and letters elsewhere.

With more than 1,400 branches across the country, the retailer has left locals mourning the loss of a Slough staple.

The staff will close their doors for the last time on Saturday, May 11.

Bosses said the decision follows the end of the unit’s leasing and financial challenges.

A spokesperson for WHSmith said: “We can confirm that the WHSmith store in Slough will close on Saturday 11 May.

“It is no longer sustainable to continue trading from this location and the decision has been made to close the store due to the impending lease.

“We are disappointed to lose our presence at this location and would like to thank all our customers for their support and for shopping with us.

“We are also extremely grateful for the efforts of our colleagues in the stores, who we will support in this transition and redeploy to nearby stores where possible.”

However, the measure has led to a wave of dissatisfaction among the local population, who are already struggling with a ‘ghostly’ shopping street.

Shoppers said the move represents a significant blow to their city.

Taking to Facebook, one shopper said: “Are there any real shops left on Slough High Street?”

Another said: ‘If another good shop goes the high street might as well be closed, it’s not worth staying open. What a sad thing.’

A third fumed: “They keep saying they are going to transform the high street but nothing is happening.”

Others expressed their sadness and frustrations.

A local resident said: “I am shocked to hear that WH Smith is closing.”

Another added: “Not another worthwhile store. Such a shame for the town and residents.”

A third wrote: “Another nail in the coffin for Slough.”

The retailer has 600 high street stores, along with more than 800 travel stores in airports, train stations, hospitals, workplaces and along highways.

Earlier this month, as part of its preliminary results, the chain announced it would close 22 stores to focus on finding better quality space.

In June, WHSmith’s boss Carl Cowling said it had no plans to open any more British high street stores.

Instead, it is focusing its efforts on British airports and train stations, and also wants to expand in the US and Europe, he said.

Naturalists have captured the spectacular moment a terrifying blue shark got the shock of its life when five killer whales attacked it in the waters off the coast of California.

The predator made a hasty retreat from the group of five scientists dubbed “Louise’s family” after they began stalking the waters off Monterey.

It happened less than a month after an orca was seen killing and devouring a great white shark for the first time, amid reports of the species’ increasingly aggressive behavior toward humans and other animals.

And the three-metre shark left no doubt about its place in the pecking order as the mighty whales turned to size it up.

“They didn’t touch it or eat it,” the Monterey Bay Whale Watch reported excitedly. ‘What a rare and fortunate encounter today between two unique species!’

Scientists are scratching their heads over the whales’ newfound assertiveness after at least five boats have been sunk in a series of attacks since 2020.

A British couple were subjected to a terrifying 90-minute attack by six of the creatures on board their cruiser yacht off the coast of Gibraltar in May last year.

“We were sitting like crazy,” Janet Morris said.

“There was definitely a clearly bigger matriarch around who was almost supervising,” her husband Stephen said.

“I kept reminding myself that we had a 22-ton boat made of steel, but it was disheartening to see three of them coming out of the water at the same time, fast and at pace with their fins.”

Researchers concluded that the attack was led by a whale named ‘White Gladis’, which has coached other whales to attack boats after being traumatized during a ‘critical moment of pain’ when she collided with a ship or became entangled in fishing nets.

Just two days later, another yacht was sunk nearby in an attack by a group of one adult and two youths.

“The little ones shook the rudder at the back, while the big ones drove backwards repeatedly and rammed the ship with full force from the side,” said Captain Werner Schaufelberger.

‘The two small orcas observed the technique of the larger one and they too collided with the boat with a light run.’

Monika Wieland Shields of the Orca Behavior Institute in Washington said hundreds of incidents have been reported worldwide since the attacks began.

“So many people have come to Washington state where I am this year, and they’re wondering, ‘Is it safe to see whales here?’ How big is the boat we are going with? Is there any chance the whales are going to attack this boat?’ she said NBC in December.

In September 2022, authorities in Spain banned ships from sailing from the northwestern tip due to an increase in attacks, and a pair of killer whales, named Port and Starboard, have developed a taste for great white sharks.

Since 2017, at least eight Great Whites have washed up on South Africa’s beaches after their nutrient-rich livers were ripped away by the top predators.

Orcas typically eat seals or even dolphins, but last month Starboard became the first of its kind known to have killed and eaten a Great White itself.

‘Starboard was observed preying on a young white shark measuring 2.5 meters in length, and later carrying the shark liver in its mouth alongside a boat,’ said Dr Alison Towner from Rhodes University.

Orcas can reach heights of up to 10 meters, weigh more than 12,000 kilos and live up to 90 years.

About 200 live off the coast of California and sightings are most common in April and May.

But scientists have played down claims that the creatures are becoming more aggressive towards humans, insisting that their attacks on boats should be seen as ‘playful social behaviour’ and not ‘revenge’ for mistreatment.

“Orcas just want to have fun,” says Robert Pitman of Oregon State University’s Marine Mammal Institute.

‘They are not afraid of boats, and they have nothing to eat there.

‘They are intelligent, social animals, and they live in what I think is probably an environment that is probably not stimulating enough for their mental capabilities.

‘Vengeance is not useful in nature. It’s not adaptive at all, unless you’re human, I guess.”

A giant asteroid labeled ‘potentially hazardous’ contains never-before-seen precious metals.

This is evident from a new study that focused on the infamous asteroid Bennu.

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Some results are finally available from NASA’s OSIRIS-REx asteroid sampling mission.

That mission sent a small spacecraft to the space rock Bennu.

The asteroid has a diameter of about 1,614 feet.

A sample was taken from the surface in 2020 and landed back on Earth in 2023.

Now scientists have provided insight into what they found on the large space rock.

It is said to contain a rare substance called magnesium phosphate.

This material has never been seen before on Earth.

It is possible that this mineral fell to Earth from space but was too fragile to survive.

This discovery was unveiled last week at the Lunar and Planetary Science Conference (LPSC) in Texas.

Jessica Barnes, assistant professor at the Lunar and Planetary Laboratory (LPL), led the study on the phosphate substances in the sample.

“It’s no surprise that we initially thought this could be a contaminant,” she says Living Science.

Other scientists discovered that Bennu contains water-altered compounds.

There is a theory that life on Earth originated from the impact of an asteroid that brought with it water and the right organic molecules.

There is also some concern that an asteroid like Bennu could end lives on Earth.

Bennu was previously labeled as a possible security risk to our planet.

It is said that there is a one in 2,700 chance that it could collide with us in the 2100s.

The chances are slim and Bennu has passed Earth before and left us unscathed.

The relative proximity to the asteroid’s path still means it is important for scientists to study the asteroid up close.

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A FASHION giant with 510 locations is set to close one of its popular city center stores.

The Next store in Eldon Square is closing, but that’s not all bad news for shoppers.

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The retail giant is closing its Newcastle branch as it looks to move to new premises, although a date for the move is yet to be confirmed.

The store, currently located on Newgate Street, will move to the former Debenhams branch in St Andrew’s Way, the newspaper said. BBC.

According to local news reports, the new unit has been vacant since May 2021.

Locals appear to have mixed feelings about the move and have taken to social media to share their thoughts.

One person said: “Next has moved from a prime location to the bottom of Eldon Square, I don’t understand, they clearly don’t want the business.”

Another said: “I’m actually quite excited.”

The Sun has approached Next for comment and will update here when we know more.

It comes after a series of closures for the fashion retailer in recent months.

In September last year, the retailer confirmed it would close 11 stores by the end of 2023.

Six of the stores were not expected to achieve their target margins, while two stores were subject to site redevelopment.

Shops are closed in places including Bristol, Suffolk, Hertfordshire and Derry in Northern Ireland.

High streets have taken a hit in recent years due to rising rents and shoppers increasingly turning to online stores.

Several major retailers have gone bankrupt, including Wilko, Paperchase and most recently The Body Shop.

Other retailers have also reduced the number of high street shops, such as Iceland, Boots and Matalan.

Argos also closed 42 UK stores last June, including all 34 branches in the Republic of Ireland.

The retailer said it is “reducing the number of standalone stores” while opening more stores in Sainsbury’s supermarkets in a bid to offer customers an even “more convenient” way to shop.

Marks and Spencer is another retailer that has made changes to its store portfolio.

In 2022, M&S announced it would close 67 “lower productivity” stores as part of the 110 stores it had already earmarked for closure.

It wasn’t all bad news for M&S shoppers, though, with some stores closing, others opening in new locations.

Nine new openings took place in November last year, including six new stores plus three store renovations.

What else is happening on the shopping street?

It’s not all doom and gloom on the high street and some retailers are bucking the trend and expanding.

Asda is massively expanding its portfolio of smaller Express stores, with plans to open 110 new stores.

Meanwhile, Primark recently confirmed plans to open and invest in new branches and renovate more than a dozen of its existing stores.

Discount chain B&M also said it plans to open 17 new locations by 2024, some of which will open soon.

Earlier this year, WHSmith also confirmed it would open 15 new stores, but these would not be located on the high street.

We have the full list of chains opening stores in 2024. See if one is coming to a shopping street near you.