A TESCO store which caused a wave of protest when it was first announced for Sandbanks’ ‘Millionaires Row’ last year is set to open tomorrow.

Angry residents threatened to boycott the Tesco Express store, created on the site of the former Sandacres pub.

Opponents argued it was inappropriate alongside the exclusive properties of the area, and that it was not needed as the Lilliput Tesco branch is only a mile and a half away.

A number of petitions and a Facebook campaign were launched after the supermarket company converted the pub.

However, a Tesco spokesman insists the company has worked closely with locals, in particular the Sandbanks Residents' Associations co-ordinating committee. A statement from this committee released by Tesco said: “Representatives of the residents associations and local people near to Sandacres have worked with Tesco for the last six months.

“This has produced an appropriate design for the outside of the building, and has developed a community project funded by Tesco together with a generous donation to local charity Lewis Manning Hospice.”

New store manager Nick Boucher added: “It’s been a real pleasure meeting everyone involved in the run-up to the store opening. The weather is great and I’m hoping for a really busy summer for Sandbanks.”

The store’s opening hours are 6am to 11pm every day.