Lidl is to open nine new stores this month following its most successful Christmas season ever.

The discounter will open new shops in locations including Canning Town, Preston and Walsall.

Additionally, a further five stores including those in West Ealing, Wells and Oldbrook will undergo expansion and reopen following significant investment.

Lidl said that the stores will create “hundreds” of new roles across the country and provide an economic boost.

In the run-up to Christmas, Lidl opened ten new stores as part of its ongoing expansion plans.

Over the festive period, Lidl saw sales surge by a record seven per cent to exceed £1 billion for the first time in its 30 years in Britain.

Around two million more customers shopped at Lidl over the Christmas period compared to the previous year, and the supermarket reported that Monday 23 December was the busiest trading day of the year.

“As we begin the new year, we’re maintaining our momentum and opening nine state-of-the-art stores, delivering bigger and better shopping experiences to new communities and those we’ve proudly served for an average of 26 years,” said Richard Taylor, chief development officer at Lidl GB. “After a record-breaking Christmas, where millions of households turned to Lidl, these openings reflect the growing demand for our unbeatable value and quality.”

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