Budget supermarket chain Lidl earmarks Lancaster, Morecambe and Carnforth for new stores

Lidl say they have ambitious plans to achieve more than 1,100 stores across Great Britain with several locations identified in Lancashire for new premises including Lancaster South, Morecambe North and Carnforth.

The supermarket chain is offering a competitive finders’ fee for new site introductions of either 1.5 per cent of the total freehold or 10 per cent of the first year’s rent for leaseholds.

A Lidl spokesperson said: “Lidl are big on expansion with ambitious plans to achieve over 1,100 stores across Great Britain. This means we are looking to acquire sites that meet our standard store format requirements."

The company will consider freehold, leasehold or long leasehold opportunities in prominent locations with easy access and strong pedestrian or traffic flow.

Lidl are looking for unit sizes between 18,000 and 26,500 sq ft and 100+ dedicated car parking spaces, 1.5+ acres for standalone stores or up to 4 acres for mixed-use schemes.

Ryan McDonnell, Lidl GB CEO, said: “The last few years have been challenging for everyone, but we’ve made it clear that we’re more committed than ever to ensuring that every single household has access to a Lidl store. That’s why our focus is firmly on the future as we continue to grow and invest in our infrastructure, while keeping a lookout for more sites and locations across the country.

“We had over 1.4 million new shoppers coming to us from our competitors over the course of last year. This alone shows the potential for continued growth as customers refuse to pay a premium for their shoppin, when they know they can get the same, if not better quality, at Lidl. As we progress further into 2023, we know that more shoppers will make the switch and whichever of our stores they choose, they know they’re getting the best value.”

Lidl GB chief development officer, Richard Taylor, added: “Our store expansion has been and continues to be unparalleled. In the last three months alone, we’ve opened 15 new stores – more than any other retailer, and in 2022 we welcomed customers through the doors of over 50 new stores.”