New Lidl store opening in Newport today
Budget supermarket Lidl is set to open its doors for the first time in Newport today, creating 15 new jobs.
The store is opening as part of the new Audley Avenue Retail Park and is still recruiting new members of staff.
Newport's mayor, Councillor Peter Scott, was being joined by the mayor of Telford & Wrekin, Councillor Raj Mehta, to open the store.
Pupils from Newport Junior School, along with headteacher Nicola Moody, were also set to take part in a ribbon cutting ceremony to mark the opening.
Joanne Hawley, Lidl's regional head of property, said: "We're delighted to be opening our new store at Audley Avenue Retail Park and would like to thank everyone involved in the project for helping to make this happen.
"We've been really looking forward to the grand opening and have been expecting a good turnout."
Plans were given the go-ahead in 2017 for the new retail park to be created, despite Newport Town Team calling for the project to be rejected, saying it would undermine the economic viability of the retail businesses in Newport’s town centre.
It is estimated that about 88 new jobs will be created across all the businesses at the site and a report says it could bring £2.5 million to the local economy.
