Lidl wins court battle to open its first-ever pub

29 January 2025, 17:51

Lidl has been granted permission to open its first-ever pub in Northern Ireland.

The German supermarket will be allowed to build a bar in Dundonald, Northern Ireland, the High Court ruled today.

Mr Justice Colton dismissed an appeal by another trader on Wednesday and said he saw "no good reason” to block the project.

The pub will seat around 45 customers and include an off-licence area, court documents revealed.

Puggoers would be allowed draft and bottled beer, wine, cider and spirits with the off-licence stocking Lidl-brand products.

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Lidl initially secured planning permission for the unusual pub in August 2020.

However, the project was blocked by Philip Russell Ltd - which runs a number of convenience stores across Northern Ireland.

Their appeal argued Lidl had failed to provide evidence that there was an inadequate number of pubs in the Dundonald area.

In Northern Ireland, new alcohol licences can’t be issued unless another location surrenders theirs.

But Mr Justice Colton told the court on Wednesday that Lidl had established the "inadequacy" of local pub offerings.

He pointed to the fact that two pubs had recently closed in the area and Lidl would spend £410,000 to replace them.

"I am satisfied that this is a bona fide application and that the applicant fully intends to operate the premises as a public on/off-licence," Mr Justice Colton said.