SIR,

I was pleased to see our local post office and convenience store was undertaking a refit and was surprised to note the store was rebranding as One Stop.

I asked an assistant what it was like being transformed to Tesco and was advised it wasn't, it was One Stop and nothing to do with Tesco.

I asked if she was sure as I believed that One Stop was a wholly-owned subsidiary of Tesco.

She said she wasn't but had been told they were definitely One Stop.

Tesco bought out T&S stores a few years ago, which included the One Stop brand and converted several hundred stores to the Tesco Express format while maintaining a number of One Stop shops.

The Times Online in 2010 reported on the 520 One Stop shops as Tesco's secret chain, in which customers were being charged up to 14 per cent more than in their normal stores (http://business.timesonline.co.uk/tol/business/industry_sectors/retailing/article7070471.ece">http://business.timesonline.co.uk/tol/business/industry_sectors/retailing/article7070471.ece).

Has Monmouth got a different One Stop, which might be competitive, or is this branch such a secret Tesco that even the staff don't know who really employs them?

I am intrigued, and if the former is the case I will look forward to supporting them post relaunch.

Mark Williamson

(Monmouth)