Plans for Lidl's very first pub in the store on the site of one of the supermarkets can be revealed today after the chain has won a High Court fight with local off-licenses.
Drawings that are sent to planning officials reveal the £ 410,000 pub in Dundonald, Co Down, have six chairs next to the bar, as well as tables and chairs in the room.
The plans also reveal that there will be three toilets – a standard customer WC, a different person for staff and an accessible unisex toilet – and doors that lead to the store and parking space.
The pub has a Chill Store, Vatroom, storage space and office space – in addition to an 'off -sales' area where alcohol can be purchased for consumption outside the building.
The site is located at the back of the supermarket – but it took five years to come to this phase, because the building permit for a tap space was first granted in 2020.
Lidl was confronted with an objection from Philip Russell Ltd, which runs various off-licenses in Northern Ireland Mr. Justice Colton has now rejected the complaint.
In the challenge, Philip Russell said in Belfast that Lidl has not shown that there were no shops or pubs in the area that already sold alcohol.
This was something that Lidl needed to do this, it could legally open a new pub or off license under the Licensing (North -Ireland) Order 1996.
Drawings submitted to planning officials show the £ 410,000 Lidl Pub in Dundonald, Co Down
The pub is located on the left side of the existing Lidl -Supermarkt in Dundonald (above)
Plans also reveal the proposed stores as soon as the pub and off-sales area have been opened
Philip Russell claimed that Lidl also tried to get around the sturdy alcoholic ideas in Northern Ireland by burning the location as a pub and an off license.
But in a rejection of the complaints this week, the judge said: “The application was a novel that is no reason to refuse it.”
It was also well ruled to open because of the growing population and proximity of Dundonald to shops and transport facilities.
Mr. Justice Colton continued: 'It may well be that it will not meet the full demand for recognized buildings in the area, given his size and lack of food supply.
“That does not mean that (Lidl) does not determine inadequacy.”
He added: 'I accept that it has concluded that the public house will be profitable, knowing that if it were to be concluded due to a lack of profitability, a proof of evidence would be that the permission would expire outside the license after such a decision.
The lime -green shaded area is where the pub is expected to be at the back of the store
An air reproduction of the Lidl -Supermarkt in Dundonald, with the pub on the left
“I am convinced that it meets the legal requirements and there is no good reason to refuse the application.”
Earlier this month Lidl greeted a leap in the sale of Christmas when Shoppers turned to the discount retailer to buy their champagne and party food.
The German chain revealed that the turnover increased by 7 percent on an annual basis, because the turnover exceeded £ 1 billion during the four weeks to 24 December. Lidl said it was a 'record' party period for the retailer.
The figures represent constant solid growth in Lidl, which grew its share in the British supermarket market in 2024 because it attracted more shoppers and opened more stores.
In December, industrial analysts reported at Kantar that Lidl was the fastest growing brick-and-mortar grocer in the past quarter, because it closes the position of Morrisons as the fifth largest supermarket group in the UK.
Tesco previously opened a pub outside one of the stores to mark the king's coronation in 2023
Tesco's king in the castle on Cowcross Street in London was a pop-up on 4 and 5 May 2023
Nevertheless, the latest festive performance reflected a slower growth than the increase in turnover by 12 percent compared to the same four -week period a year earlier, when it also benefited from higher inflation of food and drinks.
While Lidl is the first supermarket that opened a pub that was linked to their stores, Tesco previously opened a pub outside one of the stores to mark the king's coronation in 2023.
The king in the castle, located at Cowcross Street near Farringdon Train Station in Central London, was the site of the pop-up shop on 4 and 5 May that year, complete with a menu with a coronation theme.
All proceeds went to the charity partner of the supermarket, The Prince's Trust, which was founded by King Charles III in his former role as Prince of Wales to support young people in the United Kingdom.
Lidl refused to comment when he was contacted by MailOnline today.
