New Lidl and Starbucks drive-thru could be coming to Wigan

This would be another Lidl in the borough a year after one branch officially opened on Woodhouse Lane, Springfield, back in February 2022.

The site off Templeton Road South was previously used as a car wash, scrap yard, and car showroom before being left vacant.

The new foodstore would provide up to 40 new jobs in addition to the roles provided by Starbucks for the local area.

Both the store and the drive-thru will be single-storey units and the site will include 132 car parking spaces. The retailer known for low prices and their ‘mystery middle aisle’ will be 1,895 square metres in size and provide their usual own-brand range.

“The redevelopment of the site to create a Lidl foodstore and coffee drive-thru will guarantee the regeneration of the site which will boost the vitality and viability of Platt Bridge,” the planning statement said.

“The scheme will also provide around 40 new jobs through the Lidl store and further new jobs through the coffee drive-thru, significantly boosting the economy of the local area.”

The planning statement went on to say that because it only offers “basic convenience goods sourced from Europe" including pre-packed meats, fresh fruit and vegetables and canned goods – it helps keep choice for other smaller businesses in the area.

This is because, unlike the big supermarket brands, it doen’t offer a huge amount of non-food options such as pharmacies, phone shops or hot food counters.

Lidl is currently in the process of delivering around 60 new stores across the UK helping it to achieve their goal of 1000 stores by 2023.

No decision has been made by Wigan Council on this yet.