West Belfast and Carryduff Lidl stores to open in run-up to Christmas

New and improved Lidl stores are to open in West Belfast and Carryduff in the weeks leading up to Christmas.

On Thursday, December 5, Lidl’s Stewartstown Road store in West Belfast will reopen at 8am after it closed its doors in August to undergo a redevelopment project.

The following week, on Thursday, December 12, the highly anticipated Lidl store in Carryduff, that is being built on the site of the former Carryduff Shopping Centre, will open its doors with hopes that it will spark further regeneration and development in the area.

Read more: The cheapest NI supermarket to buy your Christmas dinner revealed

Read more: Monkstown Lidl plans to be made public at consultation

The new stores are part of a £15 million investment by the supermarket giant aimed at expanding and upgrading its outlets across Northern Ireland. Belfast Live recently revealed that Lidl was found to be the cheapest place for NI customers to purchase items for their Christmas dinners.

Award-winning local comedian Paddy Raff will open and welcome shoppers back to the West Belfast store, while Lord Mayor of Lisburn & Castlereagh City Council councillor Kurtis Dickson will join Great British Menu chef and Carryduff local Gemma Austin to cut the ribbon on the retailer’s newest store on the outskirts of South Belfast.

Alongside opening day discounts, supplier demonstrations and family entertainment, the first ten shoppers through the doors at both store openings will receive a gift card to redeem against their in-store shop.

The opening of the two new Greater Belfast stores sees the addition of 65 permanent new jobs, having already supported 220 jobs during the construction and development phase.

With sustainability at its core, the two new Lidl Northern Ireland stores will incorporate LED lighting, heat pumps and PV solar panels reducing carbon emissions and will include an onsite pollinator garden encouraging biodiversity.

Ivan Ryan, Lidl Northern Ireland Regional Managing Director said: “As part of Lidl Northern Ireland’s 25th anniversary celebrations earlier this year, I was pleased to confirm a fresh £150 million investment into expanding and upgrading our store network across the region and it’s great to see two significant projects realised before the end of this milestone year.

“Not only that, but we’re delighted to be able to open both these highly anticipated stores in time for the festive season so local shoppers can avail of our quality products at market leading value this Christmas.

“Having served the Stewartstown community for over two decades, I’m thrilled to open the doors to a modern and spacious new store for our valued customers in the area to enjoy an enhanced shopping experience in-store. I’m also grateful for the support that has been shown to us by the local community and elected representatives.

“It’s also a huge milestone in our property expansion plans to cut the ribbon on our brand-new Carryduff store which takes our store count to 43 in the region. This project has also been warmly welcomed by residents, businesses and stakeholders alike and will be transformative for what was once a major retail offering in the heart of the community - and will be again this Christmas.

“Welcoming an additional 65 employees to our store team this month and creating local employment has been one of the most rewarding parts of this project. I know the teams are excited to welcome both new shoppers and loyal customers to experience the new stores so I would advise shoppers to get down early and avail of our opening day offers.”

For all the latest news, visit the Belfast Live homepage here and sign up to our politics newsletter here.