By CHRISTOPHER WALTON  31st July 2020

Lidl is to open its £70 million regional distribution centre in Peterborough tomorrow (1 August) with the build and installation completed on time despite the impact of Covid-19.

The 484,37545 ft2（44963平方米） RDC will replace an existing smaller warehouse at Lutterworth, which Lidl will continue to operate as a non-food warehouse.

With the discount supermarket chain targeting the opening on 100 new stores in 2021 and 2022 Lidl has new distribution centres planned for Luton and Bolton, along with the expansion of its existing warehouses in Belvedere and Bridgend.

Lidl GB chief operations officer Matthew Heslop said: “As a supermarket it has been our priority over the past months to ensure that the communities we serve continue to have access to much needed food supplies and essentials. This is very much still our focus, and with the addition of our new Peterborough distribution centre, we are further strengthening our logistics and operations to ensure that we can continue to serve as many customers as possible with quality food at Lidl prices.”

Located next to the A1(M), the warehouse will initially serve 48 stores. It will use a natural refrigerant system, which heats and cools the entire building, along with solar panels that will generate 10% of the total electricity required by the building.

It will also employ 400 people on a starting salary of £9.30 per hour, with plans to recruit a further 50.

Lidl regional director for Peterborough Stephen Hutchinson added: “I am immensely proud of all of our colleagues that have worked tirelessly to ensure this warehouse can open on time. Keeping on track with the build, and the preparations to go operational under these exceptional circumstances, has only been possible because of their hard work and we are incredibly grateful to everyone that has been involved.”