Lidl is set to go ahead with plans to open its first-ever pub within one of its supermarkets, with the store in Dundonald – just outside of Belfast – in line for quite the upgrade
Shoppers may soon be able to enjoy a pint at their local supermarket after a popular chain overcame a legal challenge to open a pub inside one of its stores.
Lidl won a High Court battle last year over plans to open its first-ever pub within its store in Dundonald, just outside Belfast. Planning permission was granted last April for a change of use of part of the building, from retail to public house, along with the creation of a new shop front.
And this week, Lidl submitted a non material change application to Lisburn and Castlereagh City Council’s planning department to insert a new fire door, alterations to the pub shop front and the reorganisation of the pub floorspace.
It states changes are being sought “to deal with circulation and display issues that have arisen from the modification of the supermarket building to accommodate the public house development that has been approved under the 2025 planning permission”.
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In addition, it states the public house permission “requires to be modified to deal with detailed design revisions”.
Giving further details on the new application which has been submitted, a supermarket chain representative said: “This application seeks to relocate the fire escape door on the front elevation of the building. This will enable a full uninterrupted line of shelf space to be provided along aisle 1 of the modified supermarket building. The existing fire door will be retained but not usable as shelving will be placed in front of it.”
In regards to changes to plans for the pub, Lidl said it proposed an amendment to the shop front to include additional joinery detailing on the front and side elevation; reorganisation of the back of house/ancillary areas that has become necessary as a result of detailed discussions with the public house designers; and a new paved area to the front of the public house in a permeable finish.
The application will now be considered by planners but indicates Lidl’s commitment to pushing ahead with its plans for the pub within its Dundonald store. Lidl has said it doesn’t have any updates or new information at this stage, reported BelfastLive.
In January last year, Mr Justice Colton dismissed an appeal by rival trader Philip Russell Ltd against the chain being granted a provisional licence for operating the bar in its store.
At the time, it was reported the proposed scheme would see Lidl spend £410,000 to fit out a new in-store pub alongside an off-sales area. Dismissing the appeal, Mr Justice Colton held that Lidl had made a bona fide application to operate the premises as a public on/off-licence.
“It will invest a significant sum of money, at least £410,000 into fitting out the public house,” he said. “I accept that it has concluded that the public house will be profitable, knowing that if it closed through lack of profitability an evitable consequence would be that the off-licence permission would lapse following any such decision. I am satisfied that it meets the statutory requirements and there is no good reason for refusing the application.”
