Work underway on Alexandria's long-awaited new Lidl supermarket

dailyrecord.co.uk:

Work on a new Lidl supermarket in the heart of Alexandria got underway last week.The long-awaited new store, which is set to open in spring of next year, is key to plans aimed at breathing new life into the heart of the Vale - replacing the eyesore Mitchell Way.The supermarket giant had been targeting a move to the Vale for almost a decade, with proposals taking a major step forward in November 2022 as they applied for planning permission.Plans were approved by West Dunbartonshire Council in June of last year.To mark the official start of works, Lidl welcomed local council leaders, Martin Rooney and Michelle McGinty, to break ground at the site alongside Ross Jackson, regional head of property at the firm.They say that the development represents significant investment in the area - creating up to 40 new jobs for the local economy.Lidl staff receive one of the highest rates of pay in the sector following the discounter’s third wage increase in 12 months.With a sales area of 1,251m², the new store will also feature a bakery - recently crowned as the UK’s favourite.It will also feature solar panels on the roof, rapid electric vehicle charging points in the car park, and customer toilets with baby changing facilities.Ross Jackson of Lidl commented: “We’re very excited to have broken ground at our new Alexandria site and it was great to welcome local councillors to mark the occasion.“As our customer base continues to grow, this latest move marks another important milestone in our ongoing investment in the country as we further strengthen our foothold in Scotland.”Leader of West Dunbartonshire Council, Martin Rooney, said: “It’s fantastic to see such a big investment in the local area, and I welcome the local jobs that the new