‘Very bad news’ shoppers are sobbing as the chain closes its ‘go-to’ high street branch today
Shoppers are devastated as a supermarket giant is set to close a ‘go-to’ branch today.
Lidl is pulling down the shutters on another store for the last time, just a day after closing three other stores.
The discount supermarket welcomes shoppers to its branch in Hanham, Bristol for the last time.
Customers’ next one nearest branches are in Lawrence Hill, Longwell Green and Kingswood.
A spokesperson for the retailer said it was closing the Hanham branch because the location was too small for a store expansion.
They added: “Although it has been proposed that our Hanham store, which is 26 years old, will close from Friday 1 March, we hope to continue to welcome customers to one of our other nearby stores.”
The supermarket has been open for more than 26 years and is described by locals as the locals’ ‘go-to’ store.
Shoppers have shared their disappointment about the closure on social media.
One said: “Disappointing news! I hear this is because Lidal are expanding their range and the store is not big enough to hold the variety of stock.
‘I sympathize with the staff. They only found out two weeks ago. I’m not sure what will become of Hanham.”
A second wrote: “This will be bad for so many locals!”
While a third commented: “No, so sad. It’s so convenient – I prefer it to the bigger shops.”
A fourth posted: “Such a shame. I know there are a few shops nearby but this one was within walking distance.”
“That’s very bad news,” said another customer.
What about other Lidl stores?
Today’s closure comes after the bargain retailer closed its Thornaby, Girlington and Leyland stores yesterday.
Lidl said it had been trying to find a larger site in Girlington for the past two years but had been refused plans by Bradford Council.
It confirmed that all staff at the store will be offered jobs at other Lidl branches.
Elsewhere, the retailer said it is closing its site in Churchill Way Retail Park, Leyland, as it is “no longer fit for purpose”.
And shoppers in Stockton-on-Tees have been urged to visit Lidl supermarkets in Tower Street and Billingham Road once the Thornaby store closes.
It comes after Lidl downed the shutters of several supermarkets over the past year.
The chain will close its store in Paignton, Devon, next month after 25 years.
The store in the Victoria Center finally closed its doors on February 4 after long speculation about its future.
A spokesperson said locals can rest assured they can head to the larger White Rock Way store, just a 10-minute walk away.
Lidl also closed its branch in Kentish Town Road on February 11, after a decade in the high street.
It’s not all bad news though and Lidl has plans to acquire an alternative location nearby so they can reopen.
It was recently confirmed that Lidl plans to close its warehouse in Walsall within a year.
The supermarket chain says the building, which is fifty years old, is “no longer fit for purpose”.
Lidl is also undergoing a broader restructuring to ensure that its “logistics function is designed as effectively as possible”.
It has been operating from the depot since 2008 and will close it in a year.
It’s not all bad news, however, as the chain has big plans to open more sites in the coming year.
Last year, Lidl bosses announced that the chain wanted to open hundreds of new locations.
While exact locations are yet to be confirmed, it aims to open high street stores, standalone stores, mixed-use stores and shopping centers.
Lidl is also looking at retail parks and metropolitan areas in London and the M25.
The full list, of 1,168 locations, includes locations in all parts of Great Britain, including 66 in Scotland, 83 in Yorkshire, 83 in Central England, 91 in South London and 42 in South Central Wales.
The retailer has a store goal of 1,100 stores by the end of 2025.
How can I save on my supermarket shopping?
There are plenty of ways to save money at your grocery store.
You can look for yellow or red stickers on products, which indicate when they are discounted.
If the food is fresh, eat it quickly or freeze it for another time.
Making a list should also save you money because you’ll be less likely to make hasty purchases when you go to the grocery store.
Choosing your own brand can be an easy way to save hundreds of dollars a year on your food bill, too.
This means ditching the ‘best’ or ‘luxury’ products and instead opting for ‘own’ or value-for-money lines.
Many supermarkets have shaky fruit and vegetable programs where you can get cheap prices if they are misshapen or imperfect.
For example, Lidl runs its Waste Not scheme, offering 5kg boxes of fruit and vegetables for just £1.50.
If you’re on a low income and a parent, you could potentially get up to £442 a year in Healthy Start vouchers, which you can also use at the supermarket.
In addition, many municipalities offer supermarket vouchers as part of the Household Support Fund.
Why are retailers closing their stores?
The reason why stores are closing is not the same for every retailer, as each retailer faces its own unique challenges.
But there are some central issues that have increased pressure on businesses in recent years, namely high energy costs.
High inflation has also shrunk shoppers’ wallets, leaving them with less expandable money to spend.
Meanwhile, the shift to online shopping has increased pressure on high streets and retail parks.
Recent figures from the Center for Retail Research show that more than 10,000 stores will close for the last time in 2023 and that almost 120,000 jobs will be lost across the sector.
A number of notable retailers have closed their stores, including Boots, which is massively consolidating its branch portfolio from 2,200 to 1,900.
Iconic names Wilko and Paperchase also fell into administration last year, with thousands of staff laid off.
Other retailers have closed stores among themselves, including Iceland, New Look and the Original Factory Shop.
It’s not all bad news for the high street, however, with a number of retailers opening stores in the UK.
B&M, which currently operates more than 650 UK stores, recently announced plans to open a further 17 stores in January and February.
Asda also plans to open 21 new locations before the end of the month.
The retailer said it aims to have 1,000 stores in Britain and Northern Ireland by March this year.
What’s happening elsewhere on the shopping street?
Boots will close a further ten stores in the coming weeks.
The move by health and beauty retailer Boots is part of plans to close 300 locations.
Matalan closed one of its branches in Leeds on February 24.
main Street Designer brand Kurt Geiger has downed the shutters of its Brighton store.
Fenwick department store too closed its London flagship store on Bond Street on February 3.
Fashion chain of major brands Peacocks closed one of its branches in Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk, last month.
Peacocks is also shuttering its store in Camborne, Cornwall, on April 3 with “a very heavy heart”.
Entertainment retailer HMV also closed its branch in Boston, Lincolnshire on January 27.
And the catering sector has also been hit: pubs such as Wetherspoons and restaurants such as Frankie & Benny’s and Chiquito have closed their doors.
In addition, a total of 56 bank branches will close their doors in March alone.
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