Brian Ford's Discount Store, which was the UK's biggest independent grocery store until it was secretly bought by Tesco, has served its last customer.

The 38,000 sq ft store in Barnstaple was bulldozed days after its closure.

An 88,000 sq ft Tesco Extra is now being built in its place and is expected to open in 2012. Tesco bought Brian Ford's in 2003 but kept the deal quiet until 2008 when a planning application was submitted on behalf of a "major supermarket chain".

All 180 of Brian Ford's staff have been offered roles at the new store.

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