X-Factor star and local celebrity Eoghan Quigg cut the ribbon and welcomed shoppers to the brand new £8 million Buncrana Road store in Derry~Londonderry
Lidl Northern Ireland has welcomed shoppers to its brand-new, £8 million state-of-the-art store at Buncrana Road in Derry~Londonderry, marking the opening of the first of three new stores confirmed for the North West region as part of a wider £26 million regional investment.
The trio of new stores, which includes a newly constructed retail offering at Crescent Link in Derry~Londonderry and relocations of stores at Buncrana Road in the city and also at Strabane Shopping Centre, will create more than 55 new permanent retail jobs and support up to 600 more jobs during construction phases over the next three years.
Located at the junction of Buncrana Road and Springtown Road, the newly expanded store replaces the retailer’s former premises at 24 Buncrana Road and brings 10 permanent new retail jobs to the locality.
The opening drew a crowd of locals and visitors alike as X Factor sensation Eoghan Quigg made a very special guest appearance to cut the ribbon and welcome the first customers inside. Two local charities, Community Crisis Intervention Service and Foyle Search & Rescue, were also in attendance to receive donations of £500 each in Lidl Northern Ireland vouchers to spend in store, as part of the retailer’s ongoing commitment to supporting the local community.
Former radio broadcaster and Dungiven local Eoghan Quigg said:
“I’m honoured to open the brand-new Lidl store at Buncrana Road and to welcome shoppers to the bigger and better store. It’s certainly an impressive space with modern design features filled with even more Lidl products that we know and love. As a dad myself, I’ll definitely be making this my new spot for the weekly family shop. I hope everyone enjoys this fantastic new space, which is a really welcome boost for the city.”
Perched on a 10,000 sq. metre site, the relocated store incorporates an expansive sales floor measuring 2,217 sq. m and built to the retailer’s established ‘Concept’ design which prioritises sustainability, spacious aisles, long tills, restrooms, staff and baby-changing facilities to dramatically enhance a high-quality shopping experience.
With a focus on sustainability, the new store incorporates a range of environmentally friendly features including an ISO 50001 certified Energy Management System and four electric vehicle charger spaces within its 146-space car park, enabling customers to charge their electric vehicles whilst they shop.
Niall Harrigan, Lidl Northern Ireland Buncrana Road Store Manager, said:
“Lidl Northern Ireland has a long-standing relationship with the local community and I am thrilled to welcome our loyal customers and new shoppers alike to this outstanding store. Not only does the expanded space offer our customers a safe and modern shopping experience, but it has enabled us to stock more product lines and bring even more choice of locally sourced, high quality products at market-leading value.
Buncrana Road is a key link in the North West of the city which serves as the main corridor from the city centre, so it’s an important location for us and a prime retail site. We’re confident shoppers will enjoy the new-look store and benefit from its accessibility and improved offering. We’re looking forward to welcoming even more customers through our doors to experience the best in supermarket shopping over the coming weeks.”
Lidl Northern Ireland’s latest store opening is part of a major multi-million-pound investment and a commitment to enhance and expand its store portfolio to 50 stores here by the end of the decade. As Northern Ireland’s fastest-growing supermarket retailer, Lidl Northern Ireland currently operates a network of 41 stores across the region.
Earlier this year, Lidl Northern Ireland opened its 41st store at Hillview Retail Park in Belfast, jumpstarting the transformation of the formerly dormant retail park. It also opened the doors of the brand new Portadown anchor store in High Street Mall in June, injecting £6 million into the local community as part of the £10 million rejuvenation of the popular town centre shopping destination.
Within the North West, construction of a new 2,080 sq. metre store at Crescent Link Retail Park is expected to get underway soon, subject to final planning approval. Representing an £8 million investment and creating at least 35 new in-store jobs, the new store is expected to open by the end of 2021.
Meanwhile, plans have been submitted for a new 2,300 sq. metre store in Strabane Shopping Park to replace Lidl Northern Ireland’s existing store at Bradley Way which was constructed in 2002. This significantly larger store represents an investment of nearly £10 million and will create 10 additional new retail jobs to bolster its existing 20 strong team. The store is expected to open in 2024.
