Spalding supermarket sites to stay open, says discount retailer

A discount supermarket chain has ruled out closing one of its two stores in Spalding after a sign outside it stating that a unit was available to rent sparked fears over its future.

Lidl confirmed that it has no plans to shut its branch at the Winsover Centre, off Winsover Road, having opened a larger outlet elsewhere in Spalding last year.

Instead, it is thought the sign could relate to the Post Office building, in Winsover Road, as its lease is due to run out in February 2021.

Lincolnshire Co-op, which runs the post office, confirmed in March that it was "looking at a range of options" to find another location for a post office in Spalding.

When Lidl applied for planning permission from South Holland District Council in September 2017 to open a 1,325 sq.m area store off Holbeach Road, formerly occupied by the old Welland Hospital and Bettinson Garage, Lidl confirmed that it would operate alongside its existing store.

A report for the council's planning committee, which gave the go-ahead for the new store in July 2018, said: "Lidl already operates a store in Spalding town centre and, commercially, it would not be feasible or realistic for Lidl to seek dual representation through a second store elsewhere in the town centre.

"In proposing a new Lidl store to the north-east of the town centre, the existing store will continue to serve the centre and areas to the south.

"Lidl advises that there are two very distinct catchments within Spalding and its intention is to retain the town centre (Winsover Road) store in order to better serve both catchments."

On Wednesday, a Lidl spokesman said: "We can confirm that this sign does not relate to our unit."

Coun Gary Taylor, the district council's deputy leader, said: "It's good news that Lidl is planning to stay at the Winsover Centre.

"But if it were to close, it wouldn't be a surprise due to the current COVID-19 situation which has affected a lot of retailers nationally."

The Winsover Centre is also home to another discount retailer, B&M, which like Lidl has another site in Spalding.

Sixty new jobs were created when B&M, which also owns Heron Foods and its branch in Spalding's Sheep Market, moved into the former Homebase site, off Westlode Street, in September 2018.

Coun Taylor said: "If B&M were to close it would be disappointing because it's in a thriving shopping centre and it needs to be a viable shopping venue near to where the markets and town centre are.

"In Spalding, both of the new Lidl and B&M stores are doing very well and we wouldn't want to lose any stores in the town."