Lidl confirm new Ipswich store will open before Christmas

Lidl has confirmed Anglia Retail Park is one of 10 new countrywide it aims to open before the end of year, although the chain did not confirm an exact date for the new outlet.

Building work on the new supermarket for the budget retailer began back in February, with the full fit-out getting underway in August of this year.

Lidl have pressed ahead with it's countrywide expansion of 10 stores which include the long awaited store at Ipswich's Anglia Retail Park (Image: Lidl) There had been hopes to open Ipswich's third Lidl by December 2023 but these plans were put on hold after concerns were raised with the buildings roof. 

Lidl currently has around 960 stores and has previously said it is targeting more than 1,100 across England, Wales and Scotland.

The latest store in Ipswich would see the creation of 40 new jobs in the region.

Lidl Great Britain’s chief development officer, Richard Taylor, said: “Our plan to open 10 new stores before Christmas demonstrates our continued commitment to providing more communities across the country with access to affordable, quality food, as well as employment opportunities.

Leaders from Ipswich Borough Council visited the site in August (Image: IBC) “But we still have big ambitions for our expansion plans to open hundreds more Lidl stores in the future.

“Our teams are constantly scouring the country for new sites, identifying opportunities not just in towns where we don’t currently have stores, but also in areas where existing stores are experiencing increasing demand.”

Planning permission for the new supermarket, which lies on the former B&Q garden centre site, was granted back in October 2022 by Ipswich Borough Council after the German retailer's proposal was first unveiled in 2021.