Lidl’s £12m new Bishop’s Stortford store to open Thursday October 9
Lidl has confirmed that its £12m new store in Bishop’s Stortford will open for the first time on Thursday October 9 – four years after it first announced it wanted to come to the town.
Opening of the development in Stansted Road, on the site of the former Ford motor dealer Gates of Stortford, will create around 40 jobs.
The German discount chain says the new starters will be paid £13 an hour – one of the highest rates in the sector and above the National Living Wage of £12.21 per hour for workers aged 21 and over.
The store’s sales area of 1,334 sq m (14,359 sq ft) will feature a bakery, the iconic Middle of Lidl and customer toilets with baby-changing stations.
Outside, the “ample” parking for cars and bicycles will include 10 spaces for the disabled, 10 parent-and-child bays and two electric vehicle (EV) charging points. Lidl’s planning application in 2021 included 147 of its “largest format (5.2m x 2.7m) parking spaces”.
The store will be open seven days a week: 8am-10pm Mondays to Saturdays and 10am-4pm on Sundays.
On opening day, shoppers can look forward to complimentary food sampling and prizes up for grabs.
Lidl first revealed in August 2021 that it wanted to make a “multi-million-pound investment” in the Stansted Road site.
It applied to East Herts Council (EHC) for planning permission and the scheme was approved by EHC’s development management committee in December 2022 after it was deferred by councillors earlier that year.
The council had received 91 objections centred on access, traffic and noise for neighbouring residents – one of whom, Cheryl Sauvary, had concerns over the impact on her disabled and vulnerable daughter, saying the store could have “life-changing” consequences for her family.
Kate Bleloch, regional head of property at Lidl GB, said: “We’re thrilled to be joining the community in Bishop’s Stortford and are excited to welcome the first shoppers through our doors. We’ve been creating Lidl fans across the country and are excited to now bring our much-loved products to shoppers here.
“Thank you to everyone who has played a part in helping to make this store a reality. It’s always an exciting moment when we’re finally able to see our plans come to life and make a difference to local communities.”
Ahead of its opening, the discounter is encouraging local primary schools to join in its new Lidl Foodies Programme, a free initiative representing a £500,000 investment from the discounter to provide teachers with resources to help children develop a love for healthy eating.
With around 10% of primary schools in Britain already participating, local teachers who want to take part are encouraged to sign up via the National Schools Partnership website to make the most of the discounter’s ready-made workshop plans.
Lidl GB has experienced continuous growth since it was established in 1994 and today employs more than 35,000 people in over 980 stores and 14 distribution centres in England, Scotland and Wales.
It says social responsibility and sustainability are at the core of its daily operations, placing a strong emphasis on its responsibility for people, society and the environment, sourcing two-thirds of its products from British suppliers.
As part of the Schwarz retail group, Lidl is one of Europe’s leading organisations in the food retail industry. With more than 382,400 employees globally, it operates around 12,600 stores and more than 230 logistics centres and warehouses in 31 countries.