Lidl reveals the places in Fife it wants to move into

They figure on a list of 52 Scottish locations on the cut price supermarket’s ‘wish list’ for future expansion as it plans to open 40 new stores across the UK during this financial year.

Kirkcaldy north/east, Dunfermline north and south, and St Andrews are included among the possible locations the German supermarket giant would like to expand into in future.

Lidl already has a presence in the Lang toun and Leven. However, according to their property brochure, they are looking at potentially relocating in Leven.

The group said it was specifically looking for sites in prominent locations with easy access and “strong pedestrian or traffic flow”. Should a site be successfully identified, the discounter will pay a finder’s fee of either 1.5 per cent of the total freehold purchase price, or 10 per cent of the first year’s rent for leaseholds.

Although the supermarket chain is setting its sights on these local communities as places of interest, there are currently no plans for new store openings.

The discount supermarket chain is looking to invest some £500 million as it accelerates its expansion across the UK.

Richard Taylor, chief real estate officer at Lidl GB, said: “This level of investment is a clear sign of our ambition. As we enter our fourth decade in Great Britain and hurtle towards 1,000 stores, there are still so many parts of the country crying out for convenient access to a Lidl store.

“That’s why we welcome the measures proposed in the government’s Planning and Infrastructure Bill - they recognise the urgent need to remove barriers to development and support the kind of growth we at Lidl are working towards. New Lidl stores mean new jobs, new opportunities for British suppliers, and continued investment into local economies.

“We’re proud to be one of the fastest-growing supermarkets in the country, and with this investment we’re taking another big step in our journey.”