Discount Retail Chain Lidl UK has been given the green light for a rather unusual project in Northern Ireland: a real pub is being opened in Dundonald, a suburb of Belfast and inside a Lidl store.
Lidl plans to invest 410,000 pounds: first supermarket pub defies legal hurdles
The planned Lidl pub will have space for around 45 guests and will offer bottled beer, wine, cider and spirits in addition to freshly tapped beer. In addition, an off-licence area is planned where customers can buy alcoholic beverages that are usually found on the supermarket shelves. Lidl recently had to answer to the court in another case.
According to the German Lebensmittelzeitung, Lidl had already planned the pub in 2020. However, the approval of the project was not without resistance. The company Philip Russell Ltd., operator of several drinks stores in Northern Ireland, filed a lawsuit against the construction of the discount pubs. The Russell stores are comparable to kiosks or Spätis in Germany.
Lidl opens first pub in discount store: competitor criticizes project
The drinks retailer argued that Lidl had not sufficiently proven that there was a shortage of licensed bars in the area a requirement under Northern Ireland's licensing laws, writes Sky News. These state that new licenses can only be granted if an existing license is surrendered.
However, according to Sky News, the judge in charge rejected this argument. He emphasized that Lidl was able to prove that two pubs in the area had been closed, creating a gap in the offering. In addition, the new concept is well integrated into the existing infrastructure, as it is close to transport links and shopping facilities.
The growing adult population in the region also speaks in favour of the project. "I am satisfied that this is a serious application and Lidl intends to operate the pub as a genuine on/off-licence business," the judge said, according to Sky News.
#smartdiscount #lidl #UK #ireland #expansion #pub #bar #bier #traditional #blurring #drc #discount #retail #consulting #discountretail #discountretailconsulting #retailconsulting #google
Comments