Fears that vital services will be lost when Tesco closes in Kirkcaldy has prompted MP Gordon Brown to offer to act as a mediator.
The announcement the store will close at the start of April has also thrown into doubt the future of the town centre’s post office.
Now Mr Brown has stepped in, demanding action from both Tesco and the Post Office.
Offering his help to find a solution that could keep the company in Kirkcaldy, he has called for a moratorium of Tesco’s plans.
The town’s MP said the Tesco superstore which also contains a Post Office he claimed was vital for elderly people and those without transport should halt the plans for the time being, given the importance of the service.
He has offered to mediate with the Scottish Government, Fife Council and the site owner, understood to be Threadneedle Street Co., to find a cost-effective solution that could keep Tesco in the centre of town.
Tesco chief executive Dave Lewis had said the decision had been reached as the store was unprofitable.
But Mr Brown said: “As I understand it this is not the UK store with the lowest turnover and, as we know, it houses the postal counter service for Kirkcaldy.
“I have already been in contact with both the head of the Post Office and Tesco’s managing director and I praise the speedy action taken by Fife Council leader David Ross and councillors to fight for the superstore’s future.
“The Post Office has already promised me urgent talks.
“This is essential, given the profound concerns thousands of Kirkcaldy residents now have about the threat to jobs and services and to the High Street.”
Councillor Neil Crooks, Kirkcaldy area committee chairman, said he was “terribly saddened” by the news Tesco have announced the closure of The Postings store.
He added: “We will obviously now be working with our community and business partners to see what help we can offer to the area.
“We will also continue to support the hard work which Kirkcaldy Ambitions and the Bid Group put into rejuvenating the town centre.”
Meanwhile, confirmation that Cupar’s South Road store is not to close has been welcomed by local councillors.
Cupar independent councillor Bryan Poole said: “From a Cupar perspective I’m delighted for the staff at the Cupar store and feel heart sorry for the staff in Kirkcaldy.
“I see this as a kind of new start for Cupar.
“If Tesco can show the same level of commitment to their staff and business in Cupar as their staff have given them then I think this a quite a good outcome for Cupar.
“What we will have in Cupar is four medium sized stores Tesco, Lidl, the Co-op and the new Aldi competing for custom in the Cupar area, which to my mind is a better arrangement than having one giant store dominating the town.
“Now that we know what the future holds I would urge all residents in Cupar and the surrounding area to shop locally and use these shops.
“It is only by shopping locally that we will retain a vibrant town centre.”
Cupar SNP councillor Karen Marjoram said: “I hope that Tesco continues to have a presence in Cupar as it will be better for us all to have a degree of choice from four small stores rather than one big behemoth.
“I hope to see some movement on something happening with the piece of waste ground that Tesco has been land banking.”