Lidl considering Winsford for site of new supermarket

The discount supermarket giant has revealed a list of locations it is considering as it plans to open hundreds of new stores all across the country.

Among the towns and cities being eyed up is Winsford, while the existing Middlewich branch could be relocated.

Richard Taylor, Lidl GB chief development officer, said: “As we celebrate our 30th year, our commitment to ensuring that all households across the country have access to high-quality produce at affordable prices is stronger than ever.

“We’re planning to open hundreds of new Lidl stores but ultimately see no ceiling on our ambition or growth potential.

“This is why we’re continuing to invest in new locations whilst exploring innovative routes to expansion.

“As we look ahead, we’re excited to welcome even more new shoppers to our existing stores, as well as those we’re planning to open across the country in the coming months and years.”

The existing Middlewich store could be relocated (Image: Google Maps)

Lidl’s plans to open new stores comes amid a year of “significant investment” in its infrastructure.

This includes the opening of its largest global warehouse in Luton and the expansion of its Belvedere warehouse.

Lidl is also looking to upgrade its current stores with new features such as electronic shelf labels.

All of this has seen Lidl achieve record growth with a market share of eight per cent.

Mr Taylor added: ““Having fortified our infrastructure with significant investments like Luton, which is the largest warehouse in the Lidl world, we're proud to have achieved record market share this month.

“We have also been the fastest-growing bricks and mortar supermarket for the past seven months in a row.

“With an exceptional store network and our laser focus on operational excellence, we’re welcoming more customers through our doors than ever before, which positions us perfectly for continued expansion.”

With this expansion in mind, Lidl is looking to acquire sites that meet a set of requirements.

These include being in a prominent location with easy access, having at least 100 car parking spaces and 1.5 to  four acres of space, with a unit sized between 18,000 and 26,500 square feet.

Winsford isn’t the only location in Cheshire being considered.

Knutsford, Wilmslow, Alderley Edge, Holmes Chapel, Handforth are also included on the list.

As are Ellesmere Port, Runcorn, Warrington, Widnes, Chester, Frodsham, Crewe, Congleton, Sandbach, Macclesfield and Poynton.

Meanwhile, a number of existing supermarkets could be relocated, including Middlewich.