Lidl opens doors in Newport

A ribbon cutting ceremony marked the opening of the store, which has created 15 new jobs on the newly built Audley Avenue Retail Park.

Attended by Newport town crier, Peter Taunton, Newport mayor, councillor Peter Scott, Telford & Wrekin mayor, councillor Raj Mehta and pupils from Newport Junior School, the supermarket opened its doors at 8am to a queue of shoppers waiting to get let in, with some there as early as 7am.

Pupils from the school created an array of Lidl based artwork to celebrate the opening, as well as having the chance to try the store's new mini-trollies for youngsters.

Jo Hawley, Lidl's regional head of property, said: "We're absolutely delighted to have opened our brand new Lidl store as part of the Audley Avenue Retail Park development.

"The new store, which boasts spacious aisles, modern fittings and fixtures and a dedicated in-store bakery, will provide more choice for local shoppers and has created a number of new jobs for local people.

"This is our first store in Newport and we are very much looking forward to serving our new customers.

"We'd like to thank everyone who joined us at the opening ceremony, especially the pupils from Newport Junior School and all of the local dignitaries for their help in making this a really special, memorable store opening."

First opening a UK store in 1994, the Newport branch, which is still recruiting new members of staff, joins more than 740 other stores across England, Scotland and Wales.

Plans were given the go-ahead in 2017 for the Audley Avenue 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.