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Coventry supermarket is closing - because it's TOO busy

PostPosted: Thu Jan 17, 2019 11:08 pm
by dutchman
Aldi has announced it is to close one of its Coventry stores, because it is too popular

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The Roseberry Avenue store, in Bell Green, will close its doors for the final time at the end of March.

Aldi said the popular outlet was closing as in its current form both the store and the car park were no longer able to cope with demand.

An Aldi spokesperson said: “Unfortunately, we have had to take the decision to close our Bell Green store at the end of March as the store and car park are no longer large enough to meet demand.”

The closure has sparked shock among loyal shoppers, many of whom contacted CoventryLive.

And a petition has been set up in a bid to convince the retailer to remain open.

Rachel Green said: “I think it is such a shame and a sad situation.

“It is a big store and everyone is worried about it."

She added: “Staff told me it would be closing on March 31.

“I was told Aldi want to create a bigger store but can’t get planning permission.

“I don’t understand as Riley Square nearby is one of the areas that is meant to be getting developed.

“I think it was the first Aldi in Coventry.

“It is a big shopping place, it’s really popular and this area really needs it.

“My friend said she was devastated.

“Bell Green is a great community and unfortunately it is going to lose a major thing.”

Rachel said that the staff at the store were not losing their jobs, something which was confirmed by the Aldi spokesperson, who said: “All colleagues are being given the opportunity to relocate to another of our stores in the city.

“We currently have six stores across Coventry, including at the nearby Gallagher Retail Park, which also serves some of the Bell Green community.”

The Aldi spokeperson added the company was still keen to grow in Coventry and was on the lookout for new sites.

They added: “We are now looking for new larger sites in the city with more parking spaces.”

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Re: Coventry supermarket is closing - because it's TOO busy

PostPosted: Thu Jan 17, 2019 11:11 pm
by dutchman
Fight begins to save under-threat supermarket

Councillors have called for an urgent meeting with Aldi bosses over plans to close a Coventry store

A petition has been started in a bid to reverse the decision keep the Roseberry Avenue store open.

The change.org petition describes the Bell Green store as “a necessity to the people in the area”.

Now councillors from the Henley and Longford wards have written jointly to Aldi’s UK chief executive, Giles Hurley, calling for a meeting to discuss the store’s future.

The letter to Aldi, which has its UK headquarters in Atherstone, Warwickshire, has been signed by Longford councillors George Duggins, Linda Bigham and Lindsley Harvard - along with Henley councillors Pat Seaman, Kevin Maton and Ed Ruane.

They want to discuss the decision and highlight the importance of the store to surrounding communities.

Aldi said the decision to close the store had been taken because it was no longer able to cope with demand - both in terms of store space and car parking.

The councillors say the store is popular with families and elderly people in the area, including many without transport, who either walk there to shop, or use public transport.

A statement issued on behalf of all six councillors said: “We are very concerned at the confirmed closure.

“It is a lifeline for many and is not just a convenient place to shop, but a part of the local community.

“Its loss would be a major blow to many, including young families and elderly people who rely on it – not just for the weekly or monthly shop, but for day-to-day necessities."

The statement added: “It was one of the first Aldi stores to open in Coventry and the people of Longford and Henley wards have been very loyal to it over the years.

“We understand that it is a profitable store for the company and the latest line that they want to build a new store and car park makes no sense as this would not be completed by the time this closes by the end of March.

“As councillors speaking to the community there is a belief this is about boosting greater footfall at its newer store at Gallagher Retail Park which is not faring as well.”

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Re: Coventry supermarket is closing - because it's TOO busy

PostPosted: Thu Feb 21, 2019 11:07 pm
by dutchman
Councillors set for eleventh hour talks with Aldi bosses to save Coventry supermarket

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COVENTRY councillors are set to issue a final plea to Aldi bosses to reconsider the closure of its Bell Green supermarket.

They are set for eleventh hour talks with directing managers in the region on March 4 and are backed by thousands of petitioners.

The popular supermarket on Roseberry Avenue, Bell Green, is facing closure because it cannot ‘meet demand’.

Campaigning councillors submitted a petition for Aldi to reconsider containing nearly 500 signatures – while an online petition has reached almost 1,000.

Campaigning resident Mel Gregory who started the online petition says the efforts have been ‘pointless’ as Bell Green customers have already switched to a nearby store.

She said: “We tried but we are only a few people. Our voices have not been heard and I find this disappointing.

“The Aldi at Gallagher (retail park) is going through a refit in early March just in time for Bell Green to finally close its doors at the end of March.

“According to the manager at Gallagher, Bell Green customers are already using the store.

“This was confirmed by staff at Bell Green.”

But Longford and Henley ward councillors – who have already sent a joint letter to chief executive of Aldi UK Giles Hurley – remain defiant.

Henley Councillor Patricia Seaman said at a full council meeting on Tuesday (February 19): “There is an online Change.org petition of 12,000 signatures. This closure is a big blow to the loyal customers of Aldi.

“This is the first Aldi in Coventry which opened in 1991 and is used by many residents in the Henley and Longford wards.

“This successful store is meeting the needs of local people as it is situated right in the heart of the community.

“Not everyone has easy access to other stores or can easily afford transport costs to shop.

“The residents and I ask Aldi to consider its social responsibility to its loyal customers and to reconsider the closure.

“As we are one Coventry.

“And hopefully when we meet with the directing manager on March 4 we might get some answers.”

Longford Councillor Linda Bigham, who moved the motion, said: “Our constituents have been loyal to Aldi and over the years it’s been a shop of great importance to the area allowing people who do not have transport to access fresh fruit and vegetables which are essential in our area where there is much deprivation.

“Constituents are bemused and amazed that a store would close because it is too successful something that many other stores would be glad of.”

Lord Mayor David Blundell confirmed the petition will be referred to Aldi with the backing of Coventry City Council.

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Re: Coventry supermarket is closing - because it's TOO busy

PostPosted: Mon Feb 22, 2021 6:58 pm
by dutchman
Coventry Aldi still empty nearly two years on from closure

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It has been two years since Aldi in Bell Green closed, and since then the building has stood empty.

The Roseberry Avenue store was one of the first Aldi stores to open in Coventry and was hugely popular in the local community, but closed for good in March 31 2019.

At the time, Aldi said the decision to close the store had been taken because it was no longer able to cope with demand - both in terms of store space and car parking.

And this week they revealed to CoventryLive that the site is still up for sale.

The community fought hard to keep the store open, responding with a petition highlighting it as "a necessity to the people in the area."

There are two other Aldi stores located a few miles away in Waslgrave and at the Gallagher Retail park, and locals still have the nearby Farmfoods store. But nearly two years on, what has been the community impact of the store's departure?

When Aldi announced they were closing in January 2019, concerns were raised about how it would affect local families.

It was easy walking distance for three Coventry neighbourhoods and was a lifeline, particularly for the elderly.

The closest Aldi stores to the Bell Green site are in Walsgrave and at the Gallagher Retail Park.

But a letter sent to the company's Atherstone headquarters at the time, signed by Longford councillors George Duggins, Linda Bigham and Lindsley Harvard - along with Henley councillors Pat Seaman, Kevin Maton and Ed Ruane - highlighted some of the community's concerns.

The letter said: "It was one of the first Aldi stores to open in Coventry and the people of Longford and Henley wards have been very loyal to it over the years.

"We understand that it is a profitable store for the company and the latest line that they want to build a new store and car park makes no sense as this would not be completed by the time this closes by the end of March."

At the time, Aldi had responded to say they were on the look out for larger sites in Coventry that could cater for the high demand they had seen at the Bell Green store.

Coventry Live caught up with Dianne Williams who runs Henley Green Grub Hub, which helps around 120 local families with food parcels.

She said that the supermarket was "an affordable community space" and its closure had left a gap.

"They couldn't expand on that site because it was landlocked and they closed it down, it was very much an affordable community space, there were always people in there chatting, older people that were perhaps lonely and isolated, when that closed down, it did leave a real gap.

"Families would walk over and get a taxi back, but when you move that to Gallagher you have to get a bus and taxi both ways, you can see the impact of that and people were telling us that it was costing them more to get to and fro, and that was the kids' treats."

Aldi confirmed to Coventry Live that the Bell Green building is still up for sale. They also said: "Aldi is always looking for suitable sites for new stores.

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Re: Coventry supermarket is closing - because it's TOO busy

PostPosted: Sat Dec 11, 2021 6:19 pm
by dutchman
First look inside Bell Green's new supermarket

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This is the first look inside Bell Green's newest supermarket.

CoventryLive can reveal Lido on Roseberry Avenue will open its doors to customers in time for Christmas.

The store is set to open on December 17 at the site previously home to an Aldi store.

The building has been sat empty for some time after the budget giants closed due to restrictions surrounding extending the site - deemed a necessity due to the sheer popularity among shoppers.

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CoventryLive reported earlier in the year a local businessman with several supermarkets around the city already planned to open a new store in its place.

Owner Ari Mustafa told CoventryLive: "Bell Green is an area where there is a good mix of people, and this will be a supermarket that reflects that, like they had with Aldi.

"We have English, Polish, Turkish, Romanian, Lithuanian and Bulgarian products.

"We will also have fresh butchers, fruit and veg, an off-licence and frozen food. We will also have a loyalty card customers can collect points on."

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Ari also owns Euro Supermarket in Foleshill and recently posted on the shop's Facebook page, saying: "I am opening my new supermarket on Bell Green on Friday, December 17. It’s a brand new supermarket with huge promotions in store

"I am looking forward to meeting you all there."

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Re: Coventry supermarket is closing - because it's TOO busy

PostPosted: Sat Dec 11, 2021 6:20 pm
by dutchman
Did anyone else misread that as 'Lidl"? :roll: