15 hours Ago By [email protected] (Jane Corscadden)
The opening date has been confirmed for a new Lidl store in Co Down . The new concept store in Newcastle is the latest in the retailer's £150 million investment plan for upgrading and expanding its store network in Northern Ireland. The store, located at Shan Slieve Drive and Bryansford Road at the foot of the Mourne Mountains , will open its doors on Thursday, June 19, relocating from its existing position at Railway Street in the town centre, which has served the local community since 2001.
Occupying a site of 12,236 square metres, with sales floor space of 1,338 square metres, the site will also provide the Mourne Mountain Rescue Team the space it needs to develop a new facility, futureproofing the organisation’s future plans and its ability to continue providing a lifesaving service in the Mourne region. Read more: 'Easyjet humiliated me when I tried to bring breast milk on Belfast flight' Read more: 'I'm a horse rider - an incident with a speeding car left me lying on the road' Developed with sustainability at the fore, the new Lidl Northern Ireland store will incorporate energy efficient features, including LED lighting, heat pumps and PV solar panels, thereby reducing carbon emissions and supporting Lidl’s ambition to achieving net-zero by 2050. Unique for the site is the retailer’s first store with a ‘living roof’ - designed to blend seamlessly with the store’s backdrop set within the Mourne Mountains Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB).
Enhanced parking for 147 vehicles as well as two electric vehicle charging points also feature in the build, reflecting Lidl Northern Ireland’s commitment to sustainability and an enhanced customer shopping experience. Developed to meet increasing customer demand, the £6.3m investment will see 15 new jobs added, bringing the total team employed at Lidl’s Newcastle store to 37.
The project also saw over 200 jobs created as part of the planning and construction process. Paralympic Gold Medalist Bethany Firth will cut the ribbon at the grand opening in June, welcoming new and existing customers who are eager to explore the aisles of the highly anticipated new store. Commenting on the first store opening in the region since taking up his new role as Regional Managing Director for Lidl Northern Ireland, Gordon Cruikshanks said: "We have been serving the Newcastle community for the last 25 years from our former premises in Railway Street and our project to develop this brand-new store for the local area has been in planning for the last nine years.
"Newcastle is a thriving community and bustling seaside town attracting visitors from across the island of Ireland. With growing customer numbers in the area and more shoppers choosing to ‘Go Full Lidl’, we had long outgrown our original store so it's fantastic to now confirm a June opening for the new store. "Shoppers will be able to enjoy a fully modern, expansive and spacious store, built with sustainability and longevity at the fore, with a few customisations making this a unique store in our portfolio.
"Beyond providing shoppers with the best customer experience in the town, we’re looking forward to completing construction of the site to enable the Mourne Mountain Rescue Team to construct an upgraded new base for their services which are invaluable in this community.” The Newcastle store is the latest investment by Lidl Northern Ireland in the region, complementing new store opening in recent years in Boucher Road, Stewartstown, Carryduff and Coleraine. For all the latest news, visit the Belfast Live homepage here and sign up to our daily newsletter here.
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