The Mayor of Epsom and Ewell opened a new Lidl supermarket on Upper High Street in Epsom recently.

Mayor Peter O'Donovan cut the ribbon to open the new store on Thursday (August 12) last week as the supermarket giant continued its run of opening new retail outlets in the south and south west of the greater London area this year.

Lidl said the store would create "up to 40 jobs" in Epsom and Ewell and signalled it had also built 30 new apartments above the supermarket, featuring associated parking. Six are "allocated as shared ownership" apartments. Two are "designated for affordable rent".

"The new store will have a 1,424m² sales area and feature facilities including an in-store bakery, customer toilets and ample parking for both cars and bicycles," a Lidl spokesperson added.

The opening of the Epsom store forms part of the multinational's £1.3bn expansion and regeneration efforts that will stretch into next year, throwing into relief the struggle of many smaller businesses in the area to survive amid the economic impact of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Lidl GB’s Regional Head of Property, Henry Neel, said: "We are incredibly excited to bring this new development to the community in Epsom. It is fantastic that we have been able to meet the needs of the local area not only delivering our fresh, quality and affordable produce, but also 30 new apartments and much-needed affordable housing. We look forward to welcoming everyone through our store doors shortly and serving our multi-award winning products."