West Belfast shoppers happy to have their Stewartstown Road Lidl store back after the site was temporarily closed in August
Stand-out deals: Comedian Paddy Raff cuts the ribbon as shoppers flock to new Lidl store in West Belfast
Fans of local comedian Paddy Raff flocked to Lidl Northern Ireland’s newly refurbished Stewartstown Road store today to join in the grand reopening celebration.
The social media sensation, known for his viral sketches, officially opened the store following a major £6 million refurbishment, just in time for the festive season.
As part of Lidl Northern Ireland’s commitment to expanding and upgrading its store network across the region, the West Belfast site temporarily closed in August to facilitate an extensive expansion and refurbishment, bringing the store in line with the retailer’s modern and sustainability focused ‘concept’ design.
The opening of the new store has created 30 new jobs for the local area, increasing the size of the team to 40.
Paddy was joined by local politicians, community representatives and middle-aisle bargain hunters at 8am this morning, with shoppers queuing all the way down the side of the shop eager to avail of opening day discounts and enjoy supplier demonstrations and family entertainment.
The retailer also celebrated the new store opening by donating £1,000 in store vouchers to two local charities, West Wellbeing and Foodstock, further demonstrating its commitment to supporting local communities and causes.
Developed with sustainability at the fore, the new Lidl Northern Ireland store incorporates 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.
West Belfast shoppers will enjoy a premium shopping experience at the new Stewartstown Road store, with a spacious shop floor with wide aisles, long tills, restrooms and baby-changing facilities, as well as an in-store bakery and redeveloped parking and landscaping, which also includes an onsite pollinator garden to encourage biodiversity.
Celebrating the store opening with members of the local community, comedian Paddy Raff said: "I'm delighted to support Lidl Northern Ireland with today's store opening. I was over the moon to be asked to officially open what is my local store, but I’m hoping it means I get to jump the queue when I’m in.
"But seriously, I'm thrilled to be part of the celebrations today. Lidl has had such a positive impact in this community and others, we’ve all been waiting on the Stewartstown Road store to reopen so it’s great to have it back bigger and better than before."
Established in 1999 when it opened its first store in Cookstown, Lidl Northern Ireland marks 25 years in the region this year. It now holds a 9.2% market share in Northern Ireland, according to retail information analysts Kantar.