German discounters starting work on three supermarkets

GERMAN discounters Aldi and Lidl are set to open three new North Wales stores over the next nine months – creating 120 jobs in the region.

Last week saw Aldi start work in Holyhead on the conversion of the former Home Bargains and Argos units into a new supermarket.

Workers moved in at the site on Penrhos Retail Park (below left) and they hope to have the store open by September.

This month will see boots hit the ground in Ruthin – with Aldi developing on land between

THE conversion of a Grade II listed church into a youth hub has moved a step closer after gaining crucial planning approval.

Last year saw Frân Wen announce plans to create a purpose-built £3.2m creative hub for children and young people by transforming St Mary’s Church on Bangor’s Garth Road.

Known as “Nyth” (Nest), it is set to include rehearsal,

Ruthin farm auction and Lane.

German rival Lidl is also increasing its store portfolio with work underway on a new store in Llandudno Junction (below right) that will open this summer. Each store is tipped to create 40 retail jobs.

But this is not expected to be the end of expansion in the region for the companies.

Aldi has been given permission to build a new store in Bangor to replace its existing site.

Their future target list includes a new store in Pwllheli and a replacement shop in Llandudno.

Lidl is looking to build a new

Brickfield workshop and small-scale performing spaces to be used for a range of creative projects.

But before work can begin, one of the crucial planning hurdles has now been navigated after Gwynedd Council approved a listed building application to remove fixtures and fittings in order to facilitate the project.

Built in 1864 at a cost of £4,650 to the design of HP Horner, a well-known Victorian architect of store on the site of the former Wrexham police station.

It has also listed Rhyl, Abergele, Flint, Caernarfon and Llandudno as target towns.

Talking about their developments in North Wales, an Aldi spokesman said: “Construction work on our Holyhead store has started this week, and we are looking forward to opening in September 2020, creating up to 40 new jobs and making it even easier for residents to shop and save closer to home.

“We are hoping to start construction on site in February.

“We hope to open our new Ruthin store in autumn 2020.

Liverpool, this was partially donated by the future Lord Penrhyn.

But now having been approved by Gwynedd Council planning officers, this will allow the removal, storage and re-use of the organ and pews.

It’s expected that a separate application for the remainder of the works will be submitted in due course.

“The process for the

“We’re excited to bring an Aldi food store to serve the Ruthin community, improving shopping choice and creating up to 40 jobs for local people.”

Last year Lidl said it is looking to rapidly expand its UK store estate as it finds ways to contend with the Big Four grocers Tesco, Asda, Sainsbury’s and Morrisons.

Chief executive UK Christian Hartnagel said he plans to open another 230 stores in the next three years, taking its total UK estate to 1,000 by 2023.

Aldi plans to open a new store in the UK every week on average for the next two years. establishment of Nyth is well under way and Architects were recently appointed for Stage 3 to develop a design and take it to full Planning Permission and Listed Building Consent”, a design and access statement said.

“It is expected that the design of the scheme will continue to develop and applications for Planning Permission and Listed Building Consent will be submitted by March 2020.”