Lidl begins building its first ever pub

Reporting based on BBC News coverage

Lidl has started building its first ever pub after securing permission to open licensed premises beside its Dundonald store in east Belfast, according to BBC News.

The move stems from Northern Ireland’s strict alcohol licensing regime, which prevented the supermarket from obtaining a standard off‑sales licence for the site. Instead, Lidl acquired a pub licence, which legally entitles the holder to operate an off‑sales section.

The plan had been challenged in the High Court by rival retailers who argued the company was exploiting an unlawful loophole. However, in January 2025 Mr Justice Colton dismissed the challenge, ruling that the novelty of the application was not grounds for refusal and that the law did not prevent a business from taking an “innovative approach”.

The new pub will be located in separate premises next door to the supermarket and will accommodate up to 60 customers. Lidl’s Northern Ireland managing director, Gordon Cruikshanks, said the company was “delighted” to confirm the development after six years in the planning system. The venue is expected to open this summer and will serve selected lines from Lidl’s beer, wine and spirits range, with an emphasis on local suppliers.

Under Northern Ireland’s licensing rules, supermarkets must purchase a licence surrendered by another business and also pass an “inadequacy” test demonstrating that existing licensed premises in the area are insufficient. Lidl failed that test for a standard off‑licence but succeeded for a pub licence, as two nearby bars have closed in recent years.

The BBC reports that these unusual circumstances mean Lidl is unlikely to replicate the model across its global estate of more than 13,000 stores. The development comes amid ongoing debate about Northern Ireland’s restrictive licensing framework, after ministers rejected expert recommendations to reform the long‑standing “surrender principle”.