An expanding supermarket chain is offering a “finder’s fee” to members of the public who can help in their search for new sites in North Lanarkshire and across Scotland.
Lidl has again named both the north and south areas of Cumbernauld as well as Moodiesburn in its latest annual wish list of desired locations where the company is “interested in acquiring sites for potential store developments”.
The company is offering rewards of over £20,000 to anyone who can help identify previously unknown areas of land for consideration as they aim to increase their number of stores across Britain to 1100 within three years.
Anyone suggesting a suitable site at the North Lanarkshire locations could be in line to receive either 1.5 per cent of the freehold purchase price or 10 per cent of the first year’s rent of a leasehold – equating to £22,500 for a completed £1.5m site purchase.
Site requirements include “prominent locations with easy access and strong pedestrian or traffic flow” in town centres or retail parks, which are able to accommodate stores of between 18,000 and 26,500 square feet and more than 100 dedicated car parking spaces.
Lidl note that their newly-published 2022 list of 70 Scottish locations, including a desired relocation in nearby Baillieston, indicates “areas of interest which are desirable for new stores” and is “a long list of potential sites, from which a small number will eventually be developed and opened as stores”.
Chief development officer Richard Taylor said: “We are as committed as ever to opening new stores and enhancing our existing ones, 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 who 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 1100 stores by the end of 2025.”
Although Wishaw also currently still appears in the list for relocation, the supermarket chain was last week granted planning permission for a new store at Heathery Road in the town, to replace its current Roberts Street base.
That existing building now appears in Lidl’s national list of property disposals, along with its former store at Castlegate in Lanark which was vacated when the company moved to larger premises at Braidfute retail park last August.
A spokesperson for the supermarket chain told Lanarkshire Live: “We look forward to sharing updates on our current and future store plans as and when we are in a position to do so.”
Lidl currently has six branches in North Lanarkshire, with the newest at Bellshill having opened in February, with the creation of 40 new jobs.
Construction is currently under way on a store at Craigneuk Avenue in Airdrie, on the former Distell International warehousing site and which is due to open “later this year”.
A further planning application has also been submitted for a drive-thru coffee shop to be constructed at the same location, which is beside the town’s football stadium.