Major boost for Bedlington as Aldi opens its doors

Last week was the opening of the newly constructed Aldi store and car park in the town centre of Bedlington, Northumberland.

Advance Northumberland completed the sale of land to Aldi earlier in the year for the new 19,000sqft store and car park with the new store now open before Christmas. Supermarket chain Aldi will form an integral part of the new retail scheme in the heart of Bedlington, creating 35 local jobs now the branch is complete.

The work has continued in the town centre with the demolition of 9 Market Place, to make way for new build retail units. The redevelopment of the Market Place will see a new retail terrace constructed with apartments above. These first phases of development are a catalyst for further development in the town centre with the new Market Place providing exciting new opportunities for both local and national businesses to establish in the heart of Bedlington Town Centre. The project received £2m from government’s Getting Building Fund, which is managed in the region by the North East Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP).

Working on behalf of Northumberland County Council, Advance Northumberland is leading in the delivery of the new development that will improve amenities and give local people greater choice. Once completed it is estimated that the combined schemes will create over 180 new jobs along with 70 construction jobs.

Luke Allsop, Property Director at Aldi, said: “We know this is a difficult time for many families so, as we all look forward to having a Christmas to remember, it’s never been more important that people know that they can indulge themselves a little without breaking the bank.

“As well as creating around 30 jobs for the local community, opening our new store means people in and around Bedlington can now access our high-quality products at unbeatable prices and we look forward to getting to know our new customers in the coming weeks.”

Cllr Jeff Watson, Chair of Advance Northumberland said: “The project is central to the regeneration of Bedlington Town Centre, and we are delighted that Aldi have opened its doors, providing much needed new retail amenities for local people. Aldi will provide a resurgence to the town centre retail offer and will drive footfall to support and attract other retailers. We have put a significant amount of resources into this development, demonstrating our commitment to deliver the best possible outcome for Bedlington”.

The Getting Building Fund is part of government’s package of financial support to kick-start the economy, create jobs and help areas facing the biggest economic challenges as a result of the coronavirus pandemic.

Andrew Moffat CBE, Chair of the North East Local Enterprise Partnership Investment Board, said: “The opening of the new Aldi store, and the ongoing infrastructure works to Bedlington Town Centre, demonstrate how targeted funding can have a real impact on job creation and help attract further inward investment.

“Government’s Getting Building Fund has ensured regionally significant projects, like the regeneration of Bedlington Town Centre, have been able to continue at pace, delivering benefits for local communities and the wider region.”

All enquiries in these new opportunities should be directed to Barker Proudlove at mark@barkerproudlove.co.uk

The North East LEP region was awarded £47m through the Getting Building Fund with the North East Local Enterprise Partnership increasing the fund to £55m by releasing an additional £8m from the North East Investment Fund.

For more information about the Getting Building Fund, visit www.gov.uk. For more information about the North East LEP, visit www.northeastlep.co.uk.