CHESTER city centre could soon be home to four Tesco stores as plans have been lodged by the supermarket giant to take the space of the soon-to-close Mountain Warehouse shop.

Tesco Stores Ltd has lodged plans with Cheshire West and Chester Council for minor alterations to be carried out to the Northgate street building once the outdoor gear specialist shop Mountain Warehouse, which has closing down signage, closes its doors for the final time. The Standard understands the closure is earmarked for the end of March.

The nearest Mountain Warehouse stores would then be the ones on the Broughton Shopping Park and McArthurGlen Cheshire Oaks Designer Outlet.

Mountain Warehouse stocks clothing and equipment for a wide range of activities, including cycling, hiking, walking, camping, festivals, horse riding and skiing.

In planning documents submitted, Tesco says it is seeking to make a range of minor alterations to the Grade II-listed building, including installing its Tesco Express signage on the shopfront, in a similar way to its existing Tesco Express stores at the junction of Pepper Street and Lower Bridge Street, and Delamere Street.

Tesco also has its long-standing supermarket on Frodsham Street.

Outside of the city centre, Tesco also has superstores off Sealand Road and in Broughton Shopping Park, plus a Tesco Express in Weston Grove, Upton.

Other alterations Tesco has planned for the Northgate Street building include installing a set of automatic double-doors at the main entrance, plus new air conditioner units.

Planning documents state the building has prior approval for the type of signage sought, while the automatic doors would "match the existing design" to be in keeping with the appearance of the building.

Prior to becoming Mountain Warehouse, the Northgate Street building previously housed designer clothing store Gap.