It’s not something you see every day — a supermarket opening a pub.
But that’s exactly what Lidl is doing in Northern Ireland, after running into a legal roadblock that stopped it selling alcohol in the usual way.
A different route to selling alcohol
The new pub is being built next to Lidl’s store in Dundonald Belfast, and will operate as a standalone venue with space for around 60 customers.
Unlike Lidl stores elsewhere in the UK, this site has never been able to offer its full range of beers, wines and spirits due to local licensing restrictions.
Rather than abandon those plans, Lidl has taken a different approach — securing a pub licence instead.
Why Lidl couldn’t get a standard licence
Alcohol licensing laws in Northern Ireland are significantly stricter than in England, Scotland and Wales.
There are two key hurdles:
- New licences are limited, meaning businesses must usually acquire one from an existing premises that has closed
- Applicants must pass what’s known as an “inadequacy test”, proving there aren’t already enough licensed premises in the area
In this case, Lidl was unable to meet the criteria for a standard off-licence attached to its supermarket.
However, it was able to meet the requirements for a pub licence — partly because nearby pubs had ceased trading, creating availability within that category.
A long-running plan
According to Gordon Cruikshanks, the development has been in progress for several years.
He confirmed that Lidl has been part of the Dundonald community for over two decades, but that customers there have not had access to the retailer’s full product range due to licensing limitations.
The new pub and adjoining off-sales facility will allow Lidl to offer those products locally, including beers, wines and spirits — some of which are produced in Northern Ireland.
What the pub will offer
The venue will not be inside the supermarket itself, but located in a separate unit adjacent to the store.
It will function as a traditional public house, while also allowing customers to purchase alcohol for off-site consumption through the associated licence.
The concept is relatively small-scale, focused on serving the local community rather than operating as a large-format hospitality venue.
Not a sign of wider expansion
Despite the attention the project has received, Lidl has indicated that this is not the start of a wider move into the pub sector.
The circumstances that made the development possible are specific to Northern Ireland’s licensing system and the local availability of licences.
With more than 13,000 stores globally, Lidl is not expected to replicate the model across other regions where licensing laws differ.
A reflection of changing conditions
The development highlights how regulatory frameworks can shape business decisions in unexpected ways.
In this case, restrictions designed to control the number of licensed premises have led to a supermarket entering the pub market — albeit in a limited and highly localised form.
For Dundonald, it will mean access to a broader retail offering and the addition of a new licensed venue.
