Lidl looking for site in Axminster – and will pay public for finding suitable location

Supermarket chain Lidl has expressed interest in finding a site for a new store in Axminster. 

The discounter, which is investing £1.3billion in its expansion across 2021 and 2022, is offering a finder's fee to members of the public who successfully identify suitable sites for new Lidl stores. 

The fee is either 1.5% of the total freehold purchase price, or 10% of the first year's rent for leaseholds, which would equate to £22,500 for a completed £1.5million site purchase. 

The news comes as Lidl publishes its annual list of locations across the country where it is interested in acquiring sites for potential store developments.

Axminster is included on the list, with Lidl looking for a prominent location in the town centre or edge of centre, with easy access and strong pedestrian or traffic flow. The site should be between 18,000 and 26,500 square feet and have space for at least 100 car parking spaces.

Since the beginning of 2022, Lidl has opened 23 new stores, providing more communities with access to high quality food at the lowest possible prices. In March 2022 it became the sixth largest supermarket in the UK.

Richard Taylor, Chief Development Officer at Lidl GB, said: "We know that the majority of British shoppers still love doing their shopping in person and we are as committed as ever to opening new stores and enhancing our existing ones. 

"We're opening an average of one new store a week, which is incredible, and our teams have done a phenomenal job of keeping that pace going over the last couple of years. But there are still communities up and down the country that are telling us how much they want – and need - a Lidl store. 

"We work with some of the best people in the industry to identify new sites, but we also know how engaged our future and existing customers are and we want to build on this. 

"Our finder's fees are, therefore, available to absolutely anyone that can identify a viable option for a new store that we're not already aware of, and we welcome any suitable suggestions that will help up us to meet our ambitious target of 1,100 stores by the end of 2025."  

Members of the public who know of potential sites are encouraged to check details against Lidl's site requirements and contact the supermarket's property team with further details. 

More information can be found at www.lidl.co.uk/about-us/property