LIDL has revealed the locations it is targeting for new supermarkets – including Taunton, Bridgwater, Mendip, and South Somerset – as part of its plans to reach 1,100 UK stores by the end of 2025.

The supermarket is investing £1.3 billion in its expansion across 2021 and 2022.

Lidl has opened 23 new stores since the start of the year at the rate of one a week, which it says made it the sixth-largest supermarket in the UK last month.

A finder’s fee will be offered to members of the public who successfully identify suitable sites for new stores.

The finder’s fee will be either 1.5 per cent of the total freehold purchase price or 10 per cent of the first year’s rent for leaseholds.

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 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.”  

Chard & Ilminster News: Lidl has announced its plans to expand to have 1,100 UK supermarkets by the end of 2025. Picture: Lidl, PALidl has announced its plans to expand to have 1,100 UK supermarkets by the end of 2025. Picture: Lidl, PA It is seeking “prominent locations with easy access and strong pedestrian or traffic flow” within town centres or retail parks that provide “freehold, leasehold, or long leasehold opportunities”.  

The sites must be able to house units sized between 18,000 and 26,500 square feet and over 100 car parking spaces.

Read more: Plans for new supermarket in Wellington APPROVED 

Lidl already has supermarkets in Taunton (Roman Road and Castle Street), Minehead, Bridgwater, Burnham-on-Sea, Street, Yeovil (West Hendford and Lyde Road), Crewkerne, and Chard.

The locations Lidl is targeting across Somerset West and Taunton, Sedgemoor, Mendip, and South Somerset are:

Somerset West and Taunton

Taunton – North

Wellington (relocation)

Sedgemoor

Bridgwater – South

Cheddar

Mendip

Frome

Shepton Mallet

South Somerset

Crewkerne (relocation)

Lidl is also targeting sites for new supermarkets in Bath (Central, East, and South), Clevedon (relocation), Midsomer Norton (relocation), Nailsea, Weston-super-Mare (Central) and Yatton.