IRVINE’S Tesco has escaped the axe after supermarket chiefs announced that 76 of its 24-hour stores will no longer be open around the clock.

The supermarket giant revealed the move was due to to a lack of customers shopping during the middle of the night - but Irvine will remain open 24-hours.

The company says 76 out of the 400 stores currently open around the clock would be affected by the change, meaning they will now close at midnight and reopen again at 6am.

Research suggests that customers are now shopping online rather than through the night.

According to bosses closing the stores through the night would help free up staff to stock shelves overnight, resulting in more item availability and stores looking better.

Tesco has been under severe pressure over the last year, announcing big financial losses, while suffering accounting irregularities which have led to numerous legal cases. 

Like all the big name supermarkets, it has also been hit by shifts in shopping habits and the growing popularity of discount stores Aldi and Lidl.

Despite its hardships, Tesco recently reported that Christmas sales rose 1.3 per cent, well ahead of what industry experts had been predicting. 

Tony Hoggett, Tesco’s Retail Director, said: “It makes much more sense for colleagues at those stores to focus on replenishing the shelves instead and making sure they’re fully stocked when they open their doors at 6am.

“‘We’ll continue to make changes in store in ways that will make shopping at Tesco a better experience for our customers.”