IT is alleged the Tesco superstore in Tetbury is losing between 20 and 30 thousand pounds in sales revenue per week since the opening of a Waitrose in Malmesbury earlier this month.

The Waitrose store, which is located behind Avon Silk Mills and employs 170 staff, opened on August 7.

Since then shoppers have noticed that there have been visibly fewer people visiting the Tesco store and a rumour is circulating that the store is losing cash.

A spokesman for Tesco, Joe Chapman, refused to comment on allegations that there was a trade downturn at the Tetbury store.

He said: “Our store in Tetbury continues to play an important role in the local community and is performing well. We are not in a position to comment on the recent opening of a Waitrose nearby.”

It is also unclear if the Stroud Sainsbury’s superstore has been affected since the opening of Waitrose.

A spokesman for Sainsbury’s said that sales figures for individual stores are never revealed.

Waitrose said that its new store in Malmesbury and its store in Cirencester are performing well.

A spokesman for the supermarket said: “Both Waitrose branches are trading well and will continue to work hard to provide a shopping experience that attracts customers to both towns in Malmesbury and Cirencester.”