Birmingham's Nightingale hospital Tesco store for NHS staff only

It is thought the site will take its first patients after 10 April

Tesco is to open its first store for NHS staff only at the new Nightingale hospital.

The pop-up store is expected to become operational within two weeks, providing staff with 24-hour access to food and household products.

The hospital, with a 500-bed capacity, is due to open at the weekend at the NEC near Birmingham, after a sister site in London opened on Friday.

The sites are emergency sites to treat coronavirus patients.

Tesco chief executive Dave Lewis said work will begin on Sunday.

"Following an idea from Public Health England, we will be providing NHS staff with on-site 24 hour access to the food and household products they need. Construction at the NEC started yesterday (Sunday) and we aim to be open by the end of next week."

Bristol and Harrogate have been named as further locations for Nightingale hospitals and the supermarket chain said it was in discussion with NHS bosses about opening stores in other sites.

The capacity at the Birmingham hospital site could be increase to 1,500 beds after it opens to patients following practice runs on 10 April.

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