The supermarket giant is opening a new store on South Road. The 190 workers at the Lochee branch will be offered the opportunity to transfer there when it opens on February 9. The Lochee store will close on February 8, as will the Tesco petrol station on Harefield Road.

Local councillor Bob Duncan said, “The people of Lochee must feel very let down.

“We have had a major grocery retailer in the community for as long as most residents can remember — the Co-Op, then William Low. It’s absolutely tragic.

“Lidl is over the bypass, but it doesn’t have the same range to enable people to do a typical week’s shop.”

Cllr Duncan said it was vital Lochee did not lose its post office, which is housed in to Tesco store.

“Lochee needs a post office — it’s absolutely necessary.”

He added that locals were losing a “hub” in the form of the cafe, but was confident that the historically strong community would, eventually, recover.

“In the current climate, it would be difficult for someone to take chances on starting a business like a cafe in Lochee. But something will be found, and we don’t know at this stage what the future of the Tesco site will be,” he said.

Cllr Duncan said he would welcome any views from locals on the situation.

Local Councillor Tom Ferguson said, “(Lord Provost) John Letford and myself had a meeting to discuss the situation and Dundee City Council has pledged to strengthen the council effort to regenerate Lochee.

“After Tesco announced the closure of its site in the area, Kevin Keenan (administration leader) said the council was involved in detailed consultations with many community groups about the long-term strategy to bring new houses, facilities and people into the area.

“There will be more of these consultations in the future.”

Mr Ferguson went on to say that a considerable amount of time and effort has gone into planning the future regeneration of one of Dundee’s oldest communities.

“Our priority is gaining the backing of the community for these plans — and securing resources to support them,” he said.

Meanwhile, the man who represented Lochee for decades warned today the area was “stagnating”.

Retired councillor Charles Farquhar — “Mr Lochee” — said he was disgusted at the economic and social decline of the area.

He said he was furious about Tesco’s decision.

Mr Farquhar said the decision flew in the face of Tesco’s assurances it would maintain a store at The Stack.

“Tesco gave a categorical assurance that the minimum they would go to would be a Metro store and they would always keep a facility in Lochee,” he said.

Mr Farquhar said Lochee needed a shot in the arm and that could be provided if the area was given a priority status.

He also backed calls for a public meeting to plot a way forward for the area.

“Lochee is going downhill further and further … I am disgusted and sick of the heart being torn out of such a historic area,” he said.

“We have to move forward and we need special development area status.”

Dundee West MP Jim McGovern said he was convinced that there was “a very strong case” to see a post office returning to Lochee High Street.

“My wife Norma and I went to Lochee High Street on Saturday and were speaking to shoppers,” he said.

“We discovered an overwhelming number of people would prefer a post office in the High Street.

“I have requested a meeting, to be attended by Tesco, Post Office Ltd and myself. A Tesco representative is going to try and progress that as soon as possible.”

A spokesman for Post Office Ltd said, “We are more than happy to meet with anyone to discuss the situation with local representatives.”

Dundee West MSP Joe FitzPatrick said today new life had to be breathed back into Lochee.

It was imperative the suburb did not lose its post office through Tesco’s decision to close the superstore, where it has been located for many years.

He said, “I am pleased that everyone seems to agree that retaining a post office with the full range of counter and mail services in the centre of Lochee is vital.

“We should all work together to ensure that this becomes reality before the store closes its doors.

“I have written to Connie Hewitt, external relations manager at Post Office Ltd, asking them to urgently find a new location within Lochee High Street for the post office.

“It is absolutely vital that they retain a full post office and all the services within the centre of Lochee, adjacent to bus-stops.

“We need to breathe new life back into Lochee High Street and a post office is essential to help us to do that.

“I will be meeting Tesco this week, along with local Councillor Bob Duncan, who represents the Lochee Ward on Dundee City Council. We will take these matters up with Tesco at the meeting.”