Lidl Ferndown has shut and will be demolished

Lidl’s Ferndown store, along the A347 Ringwood Road near Sainsbury’s, closed on Monday, February 13 and will not reopen until November 9. 

A sign outside the store says it will be closed whilst it gets a “lick of paint” and another sign says “Due to unforeseen circumstances, this store is closed.” 

This "unforeseen circumstance" relates to a planning application submitted in July last year by Lidl to demolish the existing building and construct a brand new store in its place.

The Daily Echo has approached Lidl for a comment, but they have not responded to our questions. 

As reported, Dorset Council gave permission to the German retailer to replace the old building built in 2003, which Lidl described as looking “dated” and “cannot provide the quality of shopping environment that customers now expect”. 

Lidl say one of the new building’s qualities is that it is environmentally friendly thanks to features which reduce energy and water consumption, solar panels and two electric car charging points. 

The new 1,216 square metre sales area (279 square metres bigger than before) will include an in-store bakery, longer style tills and customer parking and, on the outside, 113 parking spaces.  

Lidl also say the new building is not being constructed to increase market share but is primarily intended to "provide qualitative improvements to the store’s offer, such as more generous circulation space”. 

Twenty-five staff are currently employed at the Ferndown store and it is anticipated a further two or three roles will be created in the new store. 

The Sainsbury’s store in the same road remains open.