Lidl one step closer to new £70m London HQ

The new UK headquarters for cut-price supermarket chain Lidl were a major step closer on Monday, with Kingston Council giving the German firm its approval.

Only one more rubber stamp now stood between Lidl and its shiny new £70m, 240,000 sq ft complex in Tolworth, West London.

The retailer has been based on Worple Road in Wimbledon for a number of years, but had now outgrown that space as the discount food sector in the UK continued to grow.

Lidl’s plans for a new headquarters were just one part of its expansion ambitions, as the company confirmed its interest in opening 250 new stores across London and 860 across the UK.

“Our new headquarters not only signify an investment in our own infrastructure and workforce, but also highlight our wider investment ambitions within London as Lidl UK continues to experience incredible growth,” said Lidl’s UK board director for expansion and development, Ingo Fischer.

The future of the so-called limited assortment discounters - Aldi and Lidl - was thrown into doubt with the Brexit vote in June, although Monday’s plans made it clear at least one of the two chains was committed to trading in the UK.