Two Mayo Tesco stores to open for 24 hours on lead-up to Christmas

Two Tesco stores in Mayo - Ballina and Claremorris - are to open for 24 hours in the days leading up to Christmas Day.

The plan is an effort to reduce demand pressures during what will already be a busy week for the chain, made more complicated by the Covid-19 pandemic.

"The safety of colleagues and customers remains our number one priority and we continue to make changes within our stores as we prepare for the Christmas trading period," said Kari Daniels, CEO, Tesco Ireland.

"We hope that these extended hours, up to 24 hours in 40 of our larger stores during Christmas week, will help make the shopping trip easier for our customers."

The additional hours will begin from Monday December 21, which will open from 7 a.m. on a rolling 24-hour basis.

Extended store opening hours will be in place across the entire 151 stores in the Irish network, beginning on Friday December 18.

The majority of those will operate from 7 a.m. until midnight, with 40 moving to a 24 hour basis from Monday, December 21 until 7 p.m. on Christmas eve, the retailer said.

From December 14 to 17 , there will be normal opening hours.

During Christmas week the company will also give priority access to stores all day to over-65s, family carers and the extremely medically vulnerable.

Staff will be in place to man car parks, external queues and entrances.