Round-the-clock opening at Tesco stores in Stourbridge and Cannock will cease – with dozens of workers’ jobs affected, the retail giant has announced.

Bosses at the supermarket chain - the biggest retailer in the UK and third biggest in the world - is scrapping 24-hour opening at 20 of its stores across the country, including the store in the Crown Centre. Opening hours at the Black Country branch will change to 6am to midnight Monday to Friday and 10am to 4pm on Sundays.

Tesco also has 24-hour stores at Burnt Tree in Dudley, West Bromwich, Walsall, Willenhall, Stafford, Rugeley, Hednesford and Lichfield - but these are not affected. A spokesman for the firm said the changes were to ensure the ‘stores were the best they could be during the busiest times’, adding that the stores undergoing changes had low numbers of people visiting overnight. Tesco UK chief operating officer Tony Hoggett said:

“We’re making some changes to the way a small number of our stores operate to help us run them more simply and deliver the best possible service to customers. Where there have been changes to a colleague’s role we will work with them to ensure they are fully supported.”

It's understood that overnight workers are being offered three options as part of the consultation; either taking redundancy, switching stores or changing their shifts at their existing store.

Tesco in Stourbridge opened three years ago as part of the redeveloped Crown Centre. The supermarket was created along with new shops units and new entrances to the library and town hall.