Mayor praises investment as new supermarket is opened
»
A NEW Lidl opened in Tewkesbury Road, on Thursday, October 25 with a a special ribbon-cutting ceremony at 8am.
The new supermarket forms part of the company’s ongoing expansion and regeneration plans in the UK and has created up to 40 new jobs.
The store has a 1,690m² sales area and features facilities such as an in-store bakery, longer-style tills with dual packing, a customer toilet with baby changing facilities and parking for cars and bicycles.
Store manager Raja Rauf said staff had been working eight, 10 and 12-hour days to get the shop ready in time.
He said it is about three times the size of the one in the town centre and could generate one of the highest turnovers in the region.
One of the first shoppers through the doors was Joanna Wisniewska, who lives close to the Tewkesbury Road site.
She said: “I’m here to grab something to eat on the way work.
“I like Lidl but the one in the town centre is far too far away and parking there is an issue.”
Cheltenham mayor Councillor Bernie Fisher gave the shop the thumbs up, saying it showed companies were investing in the town.
He said: “You get lots of towns, not too far away where high streets are falling to bits and out of town shopping areas have got empty units - but in Cheltenham, I’m happy to say, the economy seems to be good.”