An angry crowd packed a public meeting to voice their objections to a Lidl store in Finchfield.
Plans for the vacant former Castlecroft garage site were displayed at Uplands School, in Finchfield Road West, last night and more than 100 residents attended to hear a presentation by the German retailer’s acquisitions manager, Mark Rogers.
The site has stood empty for more than five years and has previously seen applications from Waitrose and Marks & Spencer which have been withdrawn.
The Lidl plans represent a much smaller development with 790sqm of sales area, about a third less than the M&S proposal, and 70 car parking spaces.
Mr Rogers said: “We are a neighbourhood store which focuses on efficiency, simplicity and giving the customer a good price.
“Every Lidl store has one delivery a day and that lorry takes the waste away. We are proposing noise reducing walls around the delivery area and the store will create 40 new jobs for local people.
“We offer high quality products at low prices. We do not offer any extras like a delicatessen or photo shop, that way people are encouraged to visit other stores in the area and we do not compete. Instead we encourage vibrancy.”
Mr Rogers was interrupted throughout his half hour presentation by frustrated listeners.
Insurance broker Vicky Blair, aged 38, has lived in The Spinney for the past three years. She said: “The way Lidl markets its products is aggressive and will attract people from all over Wolverhampton with offers like a tent for £2.99.
“The traffic in this area is already horrendous and this will only make it worse.”
Aubrey Harris, aged 70, who lives in The Pines said: “I will not use the words down-market because that is insulting, but this store is not the right quality for the area.
“It’s not the kind of shop we want and we are concerned about the devaluation of property.”
Muriel Hicks said she was also strongly against an outlet in Finchfield. She said: “We have far too much traffic in this area as it is. We already have problems with inconsiderate parents dropping off and collecting their children from the two schools blocking the traffic.
“The last thing we need is a store with 70 parking spaces. People are also genuinely concerned Lidl will de-value their homes and the overall area.”
Lidl representatives said the proposal has been submitted to the Highways Agency who were developing plans which may include widening roads and improving the traffic flow.
Mr Rogers added: “Nobody can predict the property market in the area. We have designed plans to be in keeping with the surrounding buildings.”
But among the gathering there were voices of support mainly from pensioners like Ann Taylor, who has lived in the area for 32 years.
She said: “The traffic is only bad at school and work times and a Lidl store would save us having to get on the bus carrying all our shopping home.”
The proposal has not been submitted as a planning application yet because Lidl bosses are trying to gauge public opinion about the plans. They were strongly criticised for only supplying support forms at the meeting and giving no clear channel for comments of criticism to be directed.
The company’s representatives left Say Yes To Lidl posters on every seat in the school hall before the meeting and circulated photocopies of positive articles during the presentation. Free food and alcohol was in plentiful supply.
Lidl operates in 20 countries and has 400 stores in the UK.
It specialises in offering a limited choice but achieving low prices by buying in bulk and displaying produce in pallets and boxes.
By Ciara Hill
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