From grabbing discounted pints to Bitterol Spritzes after a long day of grocery shopping – it will soon be possible in the small Northern Irish town of Dundonald, east of Belfast.
Specifically, the discount supermarket chain Lidl has announced that it will launch its first ever on-site pub, located next to one of its stores. Construction is already underway, with the venue expected to open this summer.
According to a press release from Lidl Northern Ireland, the pub will span 60 square metres and accommodate up to 60 seated customers. It is also expected to create eight additional permanent roles, which further boosts Lidl’s employment footprint.
In response to the announcement, Lidl Northern Ireland’s Regional Managing Director, Gordon Cruikshanks, commented: “Lidl has been a part of the Dundonald community for more than 20 years and in that time our shoppers and residents have been unable to avail of Lidl Northern Ireland’s full product range due to licensing restrictions.”
He went on to say that “with the rising cost of living, many more shoppers are voting with their feet and choosing to shop at Lidl and, within the Dundonald community in particular, shoppers and residents deserve equal access to our full range of products,” highlighting the importance and clear value of this project for the local area.
The pub project moves ahead over a year after Lidl successfully resolved a series of prolonged legal disputes tied to the development of construction.
Namely, in January 2025, the High Court rejected a challenge brought by a competing drinks retailer, which had claimed the location was inappropriate for licensing and questioned whether the venue would draw a sufficient clientele.
Under Northern Ireland’s licensing rules, courts can refuse an application to sell alcohol if they believe the area has a sufficient amount of existing pubs or off-licences. However, a licence can be transferred from one pub to another, for example, which is what happened in Lidl’s case.
