SHOPPERS in Yate could be forced to buy their groceries in a massive marquee for a year while the town's Tesco store is rebuilt.

The supermarket giant is considering erecting a temporary tent in the overflow car park, in Link Road, while building work gets underway on the current store.

The company is bidding for planning permission to replace its existing store, in East Walk, with a landmark, two-storey building on stilts.

Felix Gummer, corporate affairs manager for Tesco, said the huge marquee would mean shoppers would still have a choice of supermarkets in Yate and staff would keep their jobs.

He said: "At the moment our store is on ground level but it would become a store on stilts so it would have to be ripped down and we will need interim measures.

"Basically the temporary store would be a huge marquee, although it would feel like a proper building inside.

"It would still be heated and have air-conditioning and shoppers would be able to get the things they need.

"We would be able to continue to trade so there would be no loss of service or employment."

Mr Gummer said health and safety issues would be addressed but added that the marquee offered the best solution for customers.

"This is a specific solution to onsite replacement," he said.

"It is complicated and there are issues we need to work through but temporary buildings are a useful tool."

Mr Gummer estimated that building work on the new supermarket would take 12 months.

Yate town councillor Tony Davis said the marquee was not ideal.

He said: "It is not an ideal solution but I am not sure there is one.

"There is a good side, in that it would save Tesco from closing, but it is a recipe for chaos with building work already going on at Yate Leisure Centre, Yate Library and on our new health centre."

South Gloucestershire councillor Ian Blair (Lib Dem, Yate North) said putting a temporary building on the site could lead to further development.

"It will be interesting to see what it leads to," he said. "Once you get something there it may lead to further developments on the site.

"And with virtually a new town proposed to be built on the edge of Yate, we are going to have to look at expanding Yate Shopping Centre and find innovative ways to ensure there is enough provision of services in Yate."

Tesco has submitted a planning application to South Gloucestershire Council for the new store in partnership with shopping centre owners Dominion. Council planners have not yet announced when they will make a decision on the proposals.