Budget supermarket planning store in West Kirby

Feb 6 2008 by Lorna Hughes, Wirral News Series

BUDGET supermarket Aldi is setting its sights on West Kirby.

The company - which also has stores in Bebington, Birkenhead and Heswall - has identified its preferred location after spending more than two years looking for a suitable site.

Mark Hewlett, property director for Aldi, said it now had options to buy four pieces of land and property on Bridge Road.

The site currently includes a former cinema, car park, garage and West Kirby’s only petrol station.

It is understood the owner of the petrol station wants to relocate elsewhere within West Kirby.

The company hopes to submit a formal application to Wirral Council by the end of this month.

Mr Hewlett said: “Where we’ve traded well in the past we generate business within town centres rather than killing them off.

“We tend to complement what other traders sell - we don’t have an in-store newsagents or butchers or so on, so we don’t compete with local businesses.”

The design of the store is around 1,000 square metres, typical of Aldi stores, with around 70 parking spaces.

Aldi believes the development would not increase traffic at the location because businesses are already on site.

Mr Hewlett said: “It’s a very busy site as it is and I think our proposals would have a positive impact - I don’t think it would be as busy as it is now. A petrol station generates a lot more traffic.”

He added: “The demographics in West Kirby are very good and they work well for us. It has an affluent population and that is growing.

“In the past it has tended to be an older population but there are a lot of families moving into the area.

“There is provision for us to move in and do reasonably well.”

WHAT do you think about Aldi’s plans? Join the debate at www.wirralnews.co.uk/forums or send your views to: Letters, Wirral News Group, 76 Hamilton Street, Birkenhead CH41 5AN.