A NEW supermarket in Huntington is expected to create 16 jobs for local people.

The Tesco Express store is being built in Huntington Road on the site of the former Murco filling station and is due to open on June 8.

The company is currently working with the local Job Centre Plus to recruit staff from the local area to work in the store.

Tesco Express store manager Joe Scoot said: "It's great to see people taking up a career with Tesco. We offer a full training programme to support both full and part-time workers and offer flexible working hours.

"We are currently in the process of creating a dedicated team of staff committed to ensuring customers enjoy their shopping trips."

He added that the company is delighted to be opening a store in Huntington and was looking forward to playing an active role in the community. But not everyone in Huntington was delighted to have a Tesco on their doorsteps.

As reported in The Press on Tuesday, Ian Whattam, of Huntington Road, feared there would be an increase in litter and noise.

He also claimed that a clause in the deeds prevented alcohol being sold from the site.

Now the chairman of Muncaster Residents' Association has expressed her concerns about the store being granted an alcohol licence. Marianne Sutherland, of Barfield Road, York, said: "For the past few years my area, Muncaster, along with Huntington and New Earswick, have had problems with youths and under-age drinking which have led to dispersal orders being put in place in these areas over the past year.

"The orders have gone a long way to alleviating the problems, but my concerns are that with a source of cheap alcohol - Tesco with their buying power are consistently cheaper than local shops - the problems experienced in the past may return."

She said she appreciated Tesco would do everything it could not to sell booze to those under age, but asked how they could stop alcohol being passed on by older youths.

Tesco, which was granted its alcohol licence on Monday, has said it will be working closely with the police and local residents and that CCTV would be fitted both inside and outside the shop.