Lidl in Kentish Town

A GROUNDSWELL of public outcry could force supermarket brand Lidl to rethink its decision to close a store in Kentish Town. The cut-price chain have announced their popular Kentish Town Road outlet will shut on February 11 – but shoppers hope a petition will help change minds.

Organiser Richard Wald, who lives nearby, said the shop provided a vital lifeline for many, and that it remained extremely popular.

He said: “We are a family with three children and we buy everything there. There are not that many places on the high street that bring our whole community together, a place where everyone goes. We know Lidl is particularly important for people on a lower income. It is a shop where you can afford to buy healthy food, something not always possible elsewhere.”

Lidl is yet to confirm the reasons behind the closure, but the size of the store has been raised with the firm.

A source at Lidl has told customers they look for stores of around 800 square metres to provide economies of scale – but the Kentish Town branch is half the required size.

The petition now has more than 1,500 signatories and Mr Wald hopes more people will come forward to show how vital the store is for so many.

He added: “Lidl has pointed people to their shops in Cricklewood and Holloway, but that assumes people have cars and can drive. For so many, that is just not an option.”

Lidl has told the New Journal they were actively searching for alternative sites in the area and confirmed that they believed the store was not fit for purpose and was not suitable to be revamped due to its size.

They said that the closure was confirmed for February 11, but declined to answer questions as to the profitability of the store. They added they were still looking for a larger site for a new branch in the area.

To sign the petition: https://www.change.org/p/keep-the-kentish-town-lidl-open