Lidl opening pub in Irish supermarket within days and shoppers will instantly recognise the name
Lidl's first ever pub on the island of Ireland is finally taking shape - and now shoppers know exactly what it'll be called.The supermarket has confirmed that its new public house at its Dundonald store in Co Down will be named The Middle Ale, a tongue in cheek nod to Lidl's famous middle aisle.The venue is set to open in June, in what will be a unique first for the retailer in Ireland.The announcement comes years after Lidl secured planning permission for the project and overcame legal challenges aimed at blocking it.Located beside Lidl's existing Dundonald supermarket, around 10km from Belfast, the new pub will feature both a traditional bar and an off sales section, allowing customers to enjoy drinks on site or purchase them to take home.The new venture has seen Lidl invest more than £500,000 (€576,450) and create eight permanent jobs, including roles for a bar manager, bar duty manager and sales attendants. The new positions will add to the store's existing team of 27 staff.Construction began in April in partnership with MMG Contracts and Marcon, while hospitality designer Gordon Devenney of O'Donnell O'Neill Design Company was brought in to create the venue's unique interior, Belfast Live reports.The fully accessible venue will have space for up to 60 customers and will operate independently from the supermarket, with its own separate entrance.Lidl said the drinks menu will showcase its award winning range of beers, wines and spirits, alongside bar snacks. An off sales section will also operate from a separate entrance.Regional Managing Director for Lidl NI, Gordon Cruikshanks, said: "We are pleased to confirm that our new public house at Dundonald is nearing completion and will open next month as 'The Middle Ale' in homage to our infamous middle aisle which our customers know and love."With a wide selection of premium quality drinks across beers, wines and spirits, we’re excited to bring our full range to customers in a novel new pub setting."We’ve been working with our fantastic construction and fit out partners, as well as one of the top hospitality interior designers in the island of Ireland, to bring a unique offering to Dundonald which reflects our brand."With construction nearly complete, we’re looking forward to seeing the response and hearing customer's feedback on what we believe is an innovative new addition to the thriving hospitality sector in the wider Belfast area, as well as a much needed investment for the Dundonald community."The project first emerged in 2020 when Lidl secured planning permission for a taproom and off sales area at the site. Under the North's licensing laws, the retailer was required to acquire an existing licence before proceeding.The plans faced opposition from off licence operator Philip Russell Ltd, which argued Lidl had failed to demonstrate there were insufficient licensed premises in the area and claimed the retailer was attempting to sidestep licensing rules.However, the High Court ultimately sided with Lidl, with Mr Justice Colton dismissing the objections and ruling that the retailer had met all legal requirements.In his judgment, he noted that while the proposal was unusual, "the fact that the application is a novel one is not a reason for refusing it".The judge also highlighted Lidl's significant investment plans and accepted the company's commitment to operating a genuine public house alongside the off sales facility.The opening of The Middle Ale will make Lidl the first supermarket on the island of Ireland to operate its own in-store pub.Want to see more of the stories you love from the Irish Mirror? Making us your preferred source on Google means you’ll get more of our exclusives... To add Irish Mirror as a preferred source, simply click here.
