Lidl shows commitment to UK post-Brexit by announcing the creation of 5,000 jobs
The German chain said the jobs are part of plans to open nearly 250 new stores in London
BUDGET supermarket chain Lidl is to create 5,000 jobs in London and invest £70m in a new UK headquarters in the capital as it reaffirms its commitment to post-Brexit Britain.
The German chain said the jobs are part of plans to open nearly 250 new stores in London as it pushes ahead with a three-year UK investment plan worth £1.5bn.
Lidl has also received planning permission for a new 240,000 square foot head office in Tolworth, Kingston, where it will move 450 staff from Wimbledon.
Ingo Fischer, Lidl UK board director, said: "Our new headquarters not only signify an investment in out own infrastructure and workforce, but also highlight our wider investment ambitions within London as Lidl UK continues to experience incredible growth."
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The group currently employs 19,000 in the UK and has been stepping up the expansion of its UK operations of late.
It plans to more than double the number of British stores to 1,500, recently opened a distribution centre in Southampton and has committed to open warehouses in Wednesbury in Exeter and Doncaster.
In September, Ronny Gottschlich was replaced as Lidl's UK boss by Christian Hartnagel after overseeing the supermarket's rapid rise across the country.
Lidl and its fellow German discount chain, Aldi, have shaken up the UK grocery sector and sparked a bitter supermarket price war by stealing market share from Tesco, Asda, Sainsbury's and Morrisons.
Last month, Lidl announced it would be paying workers the voluntary Living Wage of £8.45 an hour and £9.75 in London.
The rates are due to be paid to its 5,500 employees from March.
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