Work underway on new Charlton Lidl store
Back in February this site covered plans by Lidl to open a store in Charlton on the former site of H&M and River Island next door.
The company stared hiring in August for new staff and work is now underway on converting the building.
Charlton used to have a Lidl in a tired old retail shed roughly where Wickes now stands in a newer retail park with Lidl’s rivals Aldi. It was somewhat isolated and not the most welcoming.
That store closed around a decade ago in advance of redevelopment of the site. The store moves into a more modern building.
Since then the market share of both Lidl and Aldi have grown massively with some of the stigma towards low cost supermarkets fading.
The existing road network is strained though a Lidl will of course induce less traffic than Ikea though there is the cumulative effect of one small development addition onto another small addition.
The car park at Millennium retail park where Lidl will be sited is frequently criticised for layout.
Another change in this area is McDonalds vacating their current site for a Metro Bank drive-thru.
It’s rumoured that McDonalds will open a new drive-thru nearby though nothing is yet confirmed.
You don’t need me to say it but I will anyway; pedestrian access and permeability around the retail park sites are often rubbish.
Developments come and go. Millions of pounds come into council coffers. Little is ever done on Bugsby’s Way. One solitary crossing paid for by Ikea is about it in 20 years.
The company is advertising jobs here. It gives an opening date of early 2020.
The new Charlton Lidl Store will be hugely popular with customers coming to the retail parks along Bugsby Way. I do agree the public realm along Bugsby Way and Pear Tree Way could be improved. to make more attractive to people coming in to the area.
I still believe to help with the traffic congestion and parking issues in the area TFL Buses should have opted to run the new bus route 335 Between Kidbrooke Village and North Greenwich Station via Charlton Retail Parks.
So true. And the barmiest ‘design’ feature is the crossing that leads to a barrier and a lamppost. As the poor pedestrian attempts to access the shops on the other side of the development by the petrol station.
I was out there this morning and it looks as if the store is on the verge of opening. My advice would be to go early in order to get in and out of the carpark.
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