ALDI has revealed a list of 10 priority locations where it wants to open new stores.
The discounter, which has 1,000 branches across the UK, has exclusively told The Sun 10 towns and cities where it wants to expand.
It comes as part of its plans to eventually increase its store portfolio to 1,500.
Aldi is looking at sites in Aldershot, Hampshire, Newark, Nottinghamshire and Harrogate, North Yorkshire.
It is also scoping out locations in Wales and Merseyside.
Below is the full list of areas Aldi is looking at opening branches as a top priority:
- Aldershot
- Newark
- Hutton
- Cathcart
- Chesterfield
- Formby
- Harrogate
- Handforth
- Swansea
- Wellingborough
- Witney
It’s important to note that the locations listed represent only potential sites.
Aldi is offering a finder’s fee to agents who can help it find a new store – and it could see you bag thousands of pounds.
Those who help the supermarket to find the location will get a fee of 1.5% of the total freehold purchase price or 10% of the first year’s rent for leaseholds.
Those wanting to put their town forward should contact the supermarket by emailing NextNewStore@Aldi.co.uk.
They will need to clearly state their postcode and why they believe their area needs a new Aldi store.
Towns can still be put forward even if they are not on Aldi’s list of top-priority locations.
Suggestions need to be submitted by May 31, with the supermarket planning to update customers on the results later this year.
Jonathan Neale, managing director of national real estate at Aldi UK, said: “We want to make high-quality food accessible to all, but there are still some areas that either don’t have an Aldi or have the potential for more stores.
“We’ve identified some key places where there is demand for more stores already, but now we are calling on the public to share their views.
“This will be used to help inform our property search over the coming years.”
OTHER STORE OPENINGS
Several other major retailers are expanding their presence on UK high streets.
Aldi has announced that it will open 35 new UK stores.
The openings form part of Aldi‘s long-term target of 1,500 stores in the UK.
The supermarket is set to invest £550million in expanding its UK footprint this year alone.
Aldi said that each new store opening will create around 40 new jobs on average.
Asda has been opening hundreds of convenience stores in recent months as it looks to rival major players Tesco and Sainsbury’s.
B&M plans to open “not less than” 45 brand new stores across the UK in each of the next two consecutive years.
The parent company of Bonmarché, Edinburgh Woollen Mill (EWM) and Peacocks, Purepay Retail Limited, has said it wants to open 100 new high street stores over the next 18 months.
It has yet to give the exact locations where it will open the 100 stores or when they will open.
One of the UK’s favourite bakery chains, Greggs, has exclusively revealed to The Sun plans to open more outlet branches by the end of 2025.
Home Bargains, which was running just under 600 branches as of last June, has said it wants to “eventually have between 800 and 1,000 retail outlets open”.
The major discounter has stopped short of saying when it wants to reach the 1,000 store target, however.
Primark is also opening new branches and investing and renovating more than a dozen of its existing shops.
Screwfix is set to open 40 new stores nationwide as its owner, Kingfisher, seeks to expand the DIY brand’s national presence.
The brand opened two new stores in March, and a further three new shops will open this month.
Tesco has revealed plans to open 70 more stores across the UK over the next year as part of major expansion plans.
WHSmith has turned its focus to the travel side of its business, with plans to open new sites in airports, railway stations and hospitals.
How to save money at Aldi
There's a host of ways you can save money at Aldi next time you're in store.
Keep an eye out for red stickers on products – these indicate when an item has been reduced in price.
Meanwhile, if you’re a fan of fakeaways, Aldi is one spot worth heading to.
Foodies can’t get enough of the retailer’s new range which is just like Nando’s and prices start from 79p.
And why not try nabbing a box of veggies for just £3.30 by picking up a Too Good to Go box?
Do you have a money problem that needs sorting? Get in touch by emailing money-sm@news.co.uk.
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