THE countdown has begun to the opening of a giant supermarket that is creating 300 new jobs in St Helens.

The Tesco Extra Store, which has been built alongside the new Saints stadium on the redeveloped former United Glass site at Peasley Cross, will welcome customers for the first time on Monday, October 31.

Store manager, Glyn Heppenstall, collected the keys as the structural building to the store off the St Helens Link Way was completed.

The regeneration project at the former industrial site,believed to have cost more than £40m, will result in the closure of Tesco’s current Chalon Way store on October 30.

More than 183 people will transfer from that store to Peasley Cross.

Regeneration leaders hope to attract retailers to the Chalon Way site, the transformation of which was part of a vision for the town centre’s future when the stadium plans were drawn up several years ago.

However, they are faced with the challenge of continuing economic uncertainty when attempting to lure big name stores to town.

Mr Heppenstall, meanwhile, revealed more than 1,200 people applied online for the 300 new positions available at the giant Tesco store.

He said: “Now we’ve got the keys we will be able to get busy stocking the shelves for customers.

“This is the third Tesco store I have opened as store manager and I can honestly say the whole team cannot wait for the big opening day.

“We hope the residents of St Helens and the surrounding area will be very happy with the new store.”

The new store will open at 8am on Monday, October 31, which will be followed by an official launch ceremony at 10am - where the store will make a £2,000 charitable donation to the Steve Prescott Foundation.

Customers will be invited to join in the celebrations with cake, champagne and orange juice.