Lidl GB is advancing its national expansion with the scheduled opening of 10 new stores before Christmas, a move set to create approximately 400 new jobs. This latest development extends Lidl’s reach into a range of UK communities, spanning locations from Berwick Green in Bristol and Bovey Tracey in Devon to Stirchley in Birmingham, with the retailer’s core mission remaining the provision of high-quality, affordable food to households throughout Great Britain.
In London, where Lidl was recently ranked as the capital’s third largest supermarket, three new stores will open. The planned locations include Hoxton, Forest Gate, and Caterham, further strengthening the retailer’s established presence in the capital.
The announcement of these openings follows the recent launch of new stores in Worthing at the end of the summer and in Fulham in September. Alongside these new sites, Lidl has plans to reopen three existing stores in Chessington, Connah’s Quay, and Dagenham Heathway. These stores have been relocated, refurbished, or extended to enhance shopping experiences, aiming to provide these communities with a greater variety of products and services.
In addition to the new stores, Lidl has completed a £70 million sale and leaseback agreement with a joint venture between Roadside Real Estate Plc and Meadow Partners. This deal encompasses 12 stores in locations including Crediton, Manchester, and Saffron Walden, reflecting the discounter’s commitment to growth and innovation in its expansion strategy. The sale and leaseback model, used to finance these locations, offers Lidl greater flexibility to continue broadening its footprint across the UK.
Richard Taylor, Chief Development Officer at Lidl GB, commented, “Our plan to open 10 new stores before Christmas demonstrates our continued commitment to providing more communities across the country with access to affordable, quality food, as well as employment opportunities. But we still have big ambitions for our expansion plans to open hundreds more Lidl stores in the future. Our teams are constantly scouring the country for new sites, identifying opportunities not just in towns where we don’t currently have stores, but also in areas where existing stores are experiencing increasing demand. Our sale and leaseback deal is just the latest example of how we’re continuing to expand our footprint across the country, ensuring that even more households can benefit from a Lidl store nearby.”
Lidl’s accelerated growth is underpinned by a track record of strong performance, having been named the UK’s fastest-growing bricks-and-mortar supermarket 14 consecutive times. The retailer’s plans continue to build on this trajectory, with intentions to open hundreds of new stores in the coming years, supporting the increasing demand for affordable produce across the nation.
