Campaigners have accused Tesco of opening a fourth store in the town ‘by the back door’.

A One-Stop Shop opened last month on Cross Street at the site of the former Traveller’s Rest pub.

The convenience store chain has been a subsidiary of Tesco since 2003 and opponents say it amounts to a fourth Tesco store in the town.

As well as a superstore on Hibel Road, Tesco also operates a Tesco Metro in the town centre and a Tesco Extra at Broken Cross.

Last year, campaign group No to Tesco Extra was formed to fight plans for a new Tesco superstore that the retail giant wanted to build opposite its Hibel Road site, on Black Road, while keeping the Hibel Road site as space for other retail units.

Council leader Michael Jones and MP David Rutley have also spoken out against it and the plans have not yet been considered by the council’s planning board.

Brita Hirsch, spokeswoman for the No to Tesco Extra group said: “Large global brands increasingly realise there is a growing dislike of super brands, so they like to appear smaller than they are to avoid negative publicity.

“The new Tesco strategy might now be to use the One Stop brand to grow in areas where there might otherwise be complaints if the giant opened another store.

“Macclesfield people have been clear about the fact that there is enough Tesco presence in town.

“Independent shops are experiencing an extraordinary and welcome renaissance and Totally Locally Macclesfield was founded earlier this year to help support this trend.

“I would urge anyone to refuse handing even more of the local market share to the retail giant.”

The One Stop Shop did not require planning permission but was granted an alcohol licence in October 2012.

Councillor Paul Whiteley, chairman of the licensing sub committee, which granted the application, said it was not within their powers to block the store’s opening.

He said: “No matter what your personal opinions about Tesco, the fact they already have three shops in the town is not something you can withhold a licence for. The shop was previously a pub and it didn’t need planning permission.”

Coun Jones said: “We like Tesco, they are a big employer in Cheshire East. They are a private enterprise so I can’t really complain about what they are doing.

“I’m concerned about any company having a monopoly, although I don’t think they are there yet.”

But he added: “If they have opened a new store it adds weight to the argument that they don’t need another one.”

A One Stop spokesman said: “We’re very proud to serve the Macclesfield community, and the new One Stop store offers customers great convenience, so they can stock up easily on their everyday essentials.”

Beverley Moore, from Wake Up Macc, said: “Having more stores by the same chain ultimately reduces choice and competition and makes food supply more vulnerable to supply chain problems. 

“People have the right to know when a shop like this is owned by one of the big players, so they can decide where they want to spend their money. 

“There’s a danger that people will believe this to be a local shop and that money spent there is going into the local economy, when in fact most of it is going straight out of the town and on to Tesco shareholders.