A New Chapter for Lidl Northern Ireland in Cookstown - with New Store Now Open at First Northern Ireland Location

Lidl Northern Ireland has officially opened its new store in Cookstown, over 25 years on from its original opening in the town – which made history in 1999 as the very first Northern Ireland location. With an investment of more than £8m, it has replaced Lidl's original Cookstown store, marking an exciting new chapter for the retailer.

The new concept store – which opened its doors today - has been relocated from its original position at Station Square retail park, to a prime new location on Orritor Road. Occupying 2,475 square metres, it represents Lidl Northern Ireland's continued commitment to the Cookstown area and symbolises the retailer’s growth and expansion since first establishing its presence in the regions

It is the retailer’s second new store opening in the region this month, with a new, sustainability-focused store in Newcastle welcoming its first customers a week prior.

Lidl’s investment worth more than £8m has added 15 new jobs to the existing team, bringing the total team employed at Lidl's Cookstown store to 40. The project also created over 150 jobs as part of the planning and construction process.

Former professional footballer Aaron Hughes was on hand today to officially open the brand-new Lidl store, just in time for shoppers to pick up essentials for the school holidays. Speaking at the event, Hughes commented:

“It’s been a fantastic morning meeting the crowds of people who joined us to celebrate the newest opening of the Lidl store in my hometown of Cookstown. It’s great to see the local community gather to witness the timely upgrade of the first Lidl store in Northern Ireland, over 25 years after its original opening in 1999.

It’s a huge milestone for the area, and I’m proud to be a part of it and see Lidl’s ongoing commitment to investment in our local area.” 

Commenting on this milestone store opening, Regional Managing Director for Lidl Northern Ireland Gordon Cruikshanks said:

"This marks a particularly historic moment for Lidl Northern Ireland as we open our new Cookstown location, situated right beside the site of our very first store in the region over 25 years ago. Since launching in Northern Ireland in 1999, we have grown to become a trusted retailer serving communities across the region. It's only fitting that we continue to invest in Cookstown, the place where it all began.

From our beginnings as a single store, to now operating in 43 locations across Northern Ireland, this growth reflects our ongoing commitment to the region, and our dedication to providing high-quality products at market-leading prices. We’re proud to welcome over 500,000 customers weekly and to work with more than 60 local suppliers.

Lidl’s vision for a modern, sustainable shopping experience that also meets the needs of today’s customers is highlighted in the upgraded Cookstown location and represents our history and longstanding relationship with the local community here."

The new look store is part of Lidl Northern Ireland’s ongoing commitment to investing in local communities. Like other new stores developed in the region in recent years, the new Cookstown store has been developed with sustainability at the fore, incorporating energy efficient features including LED lighting, heat pumps and PV solar panels - reducing carbon emissions and supporting Lidl's ambition to achieve net-zero by 2050.

This morning, shoppers were welcomed by Aaron Hughes, and the Lidl team for a celebration of the opening, with the first ten shoppers receiving a store voucher. Two local charities, Lilac and Rural Support also attended and received a generous donation from Lidl.

For more information visit www.lidl-ni.co.uk

ENDS