Lidl is set to open its first-ever pub in the UK after receiving the green light from a high court.
The German supermarket chain plans to launch the pub inside its Dundonald store in County Down, Northern Ireland, just outside Belfast. The venue will feature both a bar service and off-sales, with an investment of £410,000 allocated for the project.
Lidl had initially secured permission for a taproom in 2020, following the closure of the nearby Lewis Tavern, which was destroyed by a fire in 2019. In an effort to fill the gap left by the tavern, the supermarket arranged to take over an existing alcohol license from a nearby bar.
Under Northern Ireland’s strict licensing laws, new alcohol sales licenses cannot be issued unless an existing one is surrendered. However, the project faced opposition from Philip Russell Ltd, a company that operates multiple off-licenses in the region. The company argued that Lidl had not demonstrated a lack of licensed premises in the area, as required by the Licensing (Northern Ireland) Order 1996.
Despite these objections, Justice Colton ruled in Lidl’s favor, acknowledging the supermarket’s commitment to running a legitimate pub alongside its off-license services.
According to initial plans, the pub will accommodate up to 45 customers and offer a selection of draught and bottled beers, wines, ciders, and spirits. Photo by k.ivoutin, Wikimedia commons.