Lidl NI creates 30 jobs and invests £3 million in new store opening

The store was opened this morning by representatives from local sporting club, Queens Gymnastics, who officially cut the ribbon and welcomed customers to the new store.

Based in Queens Leisure Complex in Holywood, the gymnastics club were named winners of Lidl Northern Ireland’s Sport for Good competition last year and received a £4,000 boost from the retailer to support the club.

The Holywood Exchange store represents an investment of £3 million and creates 30 new jobs for the local area. Occupying a 1,400 sq metre sales floor and a total internal area of 2,050 square metres, the new store boasts a high-quality shopping environment with more space, wider aisles, longer tills, restrooms and baby-changing facilities.

Customers can also avail of a new ‘Lidl-to-Go’ coffee machine and a larger bakery area offering a wider range of freshly baked goods. The store also includes improved facilities for store staff such as a larger canteen, welfare area and shower facilities.

Holywood Exchange occupies a landmark position around three miles east of Belfast City Centre and eight miles from Bangor and is situated close to the town of Holywood. The site is also located at the primary gateway into Belfast Harbour Estate.

With a strong local road network and extensive parking of around 700 spaces in an established, growing retail location, the retail park is already home to Harvey Norman, Next Home, Decathlon, EZ Living Interiors, Costa Coffee and Subway, and is located next to Northern Ireland’s only IKEA store.

Eoin Doherty, Holywood Exchange Store Manager said: “Lidl is committed to delivering high quality, locally-produced products at market-leading prices and it has long been our ambition to bring this winning formula to the local area. We’re thrilled to open the store just in time for the festive season and, with enhanced and established safety measures in place, customers can enjoy all that Lidl has to offer in a welcoming and safe environment. We look forward to welcoming all of our customers to Lidl Holywood Exchange soon.”

The new store at Holywood Exchange Retail Park is part of a wider plan by the retailer to dramatically enhance its service provision across Northern Ireland and forms part of a multi-million-pound investment programme to expand its presence in the region.

“After much anticipation, we’re thrilled to open the doors of our new store in Holywood Exchange. The retail park is renowned for its fantastic location and collection of big store names who we are delighted to now count as neighbours. It really is a momentous day as the new store opening at Holywood Exchange marks our fortieth store in Northern Ireland in just over 20 years.”

Lidl also welcomed representatives from nearby Mitchell Special School and local homeless charity Walk Inn to the new store who each received £500 worth of vouchers, as part of the retailer’s commitment to positively contributing to its local community.

In addition, the new Lidl store at Holywood Exchange will be participate in a number of region-wide in-store initiatives to reward customers and local communities. Lidl Northern Ireland’s Sport for Good campaign will reward 40 secondary schools across Northern Ireland with £120,000 worth of brand-new sports equipment.

To enter, customers are encouraged to shop at their local Lidl Northern Ireland store to receive a Lidl receipt containing a 10-digit code which they will need to submit via an online entry form at www.lidl-ni.co.uk/lidl-community-works. The competition is open now until Friday, December 18.

Shoppers will also have the chance to win their entire Christmas shop for just £1 by purchasing a ticket to the retailer’s annual Trolley Dash in aid of charity partner, NSPCC Northern Ireland. Tickets are on sale in-store at Holywood Exchange until Sunday, November 29. For more information about how to get involved and for competition terms and conditions, please visit https://www.lidl-ni.co.uk/information/terms-and-conditions

Earlier this year, Lidl Northern Ireland opened new stores in Ballymoney and Limavady, whilst plans for five new stores in the Belfast City Region were welcomed last week by Economy Minister Diane Dodds. The line-up of new stores includes Castlereagh Road, Hillview Retail Park on Crumlin Road, Boucher Road, Holywood Exchange and Shore Road. Plans for new stores in Newtownards, Newcastle, High Street Mall in Portadown and at Crescent Link and Buncrana Road in the North West of the region are also progressing.

Lidl Northern Ireland contributes around £180 million a year to the local economy, sustaining 3,500 jobs while buying and exporting as much as £290 million worth of local goods and products.

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