SUPERMARKET bosses have announced that Lidl is expected to open its new Barnard Castle store by the end of February next year.
The development, at the former Addisons site off the A688 on the edge of town, is creating a total of about 40 jobs. Home Bargains is also opening next door but it is not known when this store will be open. Scores of people turned out for Lidl supermarket group’s recruitment drive in Barnard Castle last week.
Managers say they were delighted with the response to their open day at The Witham on Tuesday where a number of people expressed an interest in the 20 vacancies on offer during the event.
New store manager Brendan Doherty, who ran the Lidl store in Crook before being appointed to the Barney store, said he was excited about the planned opening on February 24, 2022. He added: “I am going to be looking forward to providing people in Barnard Castle with a different shopping option. I love the town and I come here all the time with my children.”
He added that a major opening event was planned for the new year. Lidl recruitment officer Nicolle Manning said there had been quite a lot of interest in the customer assistant and shift manager positions that were on offer, with flexible working times, during the recruitment drive
She added: “We offer a range of hours from 10 hours to 40 hours a week.”
Lidl area manager Scott Reid described the open day as an “excellent morning with a good turnout” .
A Lidl press spokesman said: “We can confirm that construction of our new store in Barnard Castle is well underway and due to open early in the new year. It will create around 40 new jobs [in total] for the local area and will feature facilities including a sales area of 1286sq metres, an in-store bakery, customer toilets and ample parking for both cars and bicycles. We look forward to sharing more information with the local community in due course.”
Although 27 letters of objection were sent to planners when the Lidl application was lodged, some 102 people sent letters in support of the development. One shopper said last week: “It’s a good thing. Why shouldn’t we have more choice on where to shop?”
