Aldi and Lidl trade blows in Whitchurch store row
Legal experts representing Aldi’s bid to build a new supermarket in a town have rubbished claims by Lidl that it would have to close a nearby store if permission was granted.
It comes after Lidl recently warned Shropshire Council it could take legal action if Aldi is allowed to build a store off Wrexham Road in Whitchurch.
Lidl said it was concerned about the loss of trade it would suffer at the hands of its rival.
But Aldi said it expects business in the town centre to remain strong if it gets planning permission to build the new store.
Lidl, which is in Bridgewater Street, has presented evidence to Shropshire Council’s planning officers arguing that suggestions the store was overtrading were false.
It also stated that any planning permission granted would be based on incorrect evidence.
However, representing Aldi, Jones Long LeSalle, known as JLL, has strongly rebuffed the claims, and believes the evidence should be discredited when it comes to be considered.
The legal firm, in the letter to Shropshire Council’s principal planning officer Karen Townend, stated that Lidl’s evidence is just a threat from a competitor.
It said: “Aldi has reviewed locations where it has recently opened new stores which include an existing Lidl store.
“In each of these locations, the Lidl store has continued to trade and remain competitive.
"Not one Lidl store has closed.
“There is no compelling evidence to demonstrate that Lidl’s Whitchurch store would close as a result of the Aldi store being approved.”
JLL includes a list of towns within the same area as a potential Whitchurch store that Lidl have recently opened, including nearby Oswestry and Wrexham.
The letter also states that Aldi has carried out its own empirical evidence, such as monitoring deliveries, queue times and car parking, on Lidl’s trading position.
Shropshire Council is yet to decide on whether the controversial proposal will go through.
Whitchurch Town Council has called on Aldi to subsidise a new bus stop if it is allowed to build a new store.
It also doesn’t want there to be any advertising boards on the rear of the proposed new supermarket.
Aldi said the new store would create up to 40 permanent full and part-time jobs in addition to roles during construction and supply-chain opportunities created by the shop being built.
