Lidl searching for new supermarket sites in Birmingham - and you can earn cash by finding one

Supermarket giant Lidl has today announced it is calling on the public for support in finding sites for new stores in Birmingham – and you can earn yourself thousands as a successful spotter.

The discounter, which is investing £1.3billion in its expansion across 2021 and 2022, has revealed it is offering a finder’s fee to anyone who successfully identifies suitable sites for new Lidl shops.

The fee is either 1.5 per cent of the total freehold purchase price or ten per cent of the first year’s rent for leaseholds, which would equate to £22,500 for a completed £1.5m site purchase.

The news comes as Lidl publishes its annual list of locations across the country where it is interested in acquiring sites for potential store developments.

Which locations does Lidl wish to build at in Birmingham?

There is a lengthy list of areas in and around Birmingham, so there is no shortage of potential sites.

The list features: Central Birmingham (including Jewellery Quarter); Bearwood; Billesley; Castle Bromwich; Chelmsley Wood; Digbeth; Edgbaston; Great Barr; Hall Green; Handsworth Wood; Harborne; Hodge Hill; Kings Norton; Langley Green; Longbridge; Northfield; Perry Common; Quinton; Selly Oak; Smethwick; Stechford; Weoley Castle.

Since the beginning of 2022, Lidl has already opened 23 new stores across the country, including Warwick, Hounslow in London and Straiton in Edinburgh.

In March this year it became the sixth largest supermarket in the UK and Chief Development Officer Richard Taylor said: “We know that the majority of British shoppers still love doing their shopping in person and we are as committed as ever to opening new stores and enhancing our existing ones.

“We’re opening an average of one new store a week, which is incredible, and our teams have done a phenomenal job of keeping that pace going over the last couple of years.

“However, 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 that 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 1,100 stores by the end of 2025.”

What are the requirements for finding a new store location in Birmingham?

Members of the public who know of potential sites are encouraged to check details against Lidl’s site requirements and contact the supermarket’s Property team with further details, which can be found at https://www.lidl.co.uk/about-us/property

The basic rules are:

1: Prominent locations with easy access and strong pedestrian or traffic flow.

2: Freehold, leasehold or long leasehold opportunities.

3: Unit sizes between 18,000 and 26,500 sq ft and 100-plus dedicated parking spaces.

4: 1.5+ acres for standalone stores or up to four acres for mixed-use schemes.

5: Town centre, edge of centre or retail park.

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