Lidl confirms opening date on new Connah’s Quay store

Shoppers in Connah’s Quay are gearing up for the grand opening of Lidl’s new store, which will officially welcome customers on Thursday, 5th December.

The brand-new store replaces the Queensferry branch, which has served the area for nearly 30 years.

To celebrate the occasion, a festive carol service and ribbon-cutting ceremony will be held, featuring pupils from Ysgol Bryn Deva and Ysgol Cae’r Nant.

The new store boasts a 25% larger sales area, spanning 1,256m². It includes enhanced amenities such as Lidl’s popular in-house bakery, an expanded chilled goods section, and improved parking facilities.

Shoppers will also appreciate the inclusion of customer toilets with baby-changing facilities and the continuation of the beloved “Middle of Lidl” section.

As part of the grand opening weekend, visitors can enjoy complimentary food sampling and exclusive Lidl Plus deals.

Jobs and Investment

The multi-million-pound investment in the new Connah’s Quay store has created additional employment opportunities for the community.

Existing Queensferry store employees will transfer to the new location.

Stuart Jardine, Regional Head of Property at Lidl GB, expressed his enthusiasm about the launch:

“We’re thrilled to be opening our new store here in Connah’s Quay. Not only is this store bigger and better than our Queensferry site, but it’s also in a fantastic location within the town, making it even easier for shoppers to access our high-quality products at unbeatable prices. As we approach the festive season, we’re excited to welcome customers old and new to enjoy our enhanced offering, including all their favourite Lidl Christmas treats. We’re confident the community will be as delighted with the new store as we are.”

The Queensferry store has been on the market for some time. It was initially marketed with a £1 million price tag, but agents Legat Owen appear to be in a position to negotiate and have removed the asking price from their website.

Development Timeline

The journey towards developing a Lidl supermarket in Connah’s Quay has been lengthy.

In September 2021, Flintshire Council confirmed discussions with an interested party regarding the former Somerfield site, which was later revealed to be Lidl.

The supermarket chain expressed its interest in demolishing the existing building, which had been vacant for over a decade, and constructing a new 2,274-square-metre store

Lidl also announced plans to close its Deeside Retail Park store and relocate staff to the new Connah’s Quay location.

In November 2022, following a public consultation and formal plan submissions to the council, permission was granted, marking a significant milestone in the development plan.

Despite the initial approval, the site remained untouched for more than a year and continued to be plagued by anti-social behaviour, raising questions about when the project would finally get underway.

While progress on the ground appeared to stall, Lidl reaffirmed its commitment to the Connah’s Quay development. The company said it had engaged in discussions with Flintshire County Council, addressing complexities related to the project, including car park issues.

Competition in Deeside

Lidl isn’t the only budget supermarket chain targeting Deeside.

Plans to create a new Aldi food store were formally submitted to Flintshire Council during the summer.

The supermarket chain first announced details of proposals for the Airfields site in Garden City in May, when the local community was invited to provide feedback.

The scheme includes a store with a sales area of 1,356 square metres, a drive-thru Greggs bakery, and an electric vehicle charging station with 18 spaces.

Aldi said the plans would create more than 50 jobs, representing a multi-million-pound investment in the area.

The proposals form part of the wider redevelopment of the former RAF Sealand air base on Welsh Road, where hundreds of new homes are being built.