Aldi asks Bristol for suggestions for new store locations in the city

The German supermarket chain Aldi might well have already opened 14 stores across the Bristol area, but the shop that is famous for its middle aisle surprises is asking the people of Bristol to suggest areas where they could open more.

Aldi has launched a new initiative to ‘pinpoint prime locations’ for new store openings, and is asking the people of Bristol where they should open a new store next.

The areas of Bristol which have the most suggestions will be put on a list to be considered by store bosses, and could end up being the next place Aldi opens a new store.

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A spokesperson for the supermarket chain – which has grown rapidly to now be the UK’s fourth-biggest – is calling on people in Bristol to help it identify where the city needs new Aldi stores the most.

There are currently ten stores in Bristol: next to the Imperial Retail Park in Hartcliffe, on North Street in Ashton, off the Muller Road in Horfield, in Fishponds, on Church Road in Redfield, in the middle of Southmead, Crow Lane in Henbury, next to Sainsbury’s in Harry Stoke, in Bradley Stoke and in Longwell Green, with several more in the wider Bristol area – in Thornbury, Portishead and two in the Weston-super-Mare area.

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There are currently no Aldi stores in the Yate area, Avonmouth, Brislington and south east Bristol, Keynsham, or in the eastern edge of Bristol around Staple Hill, and Emersons Green. Residents in many areas of Bristol have long called for supermarkets to invest in a new store in their area, including Knowle West and Filwood, where the Government’s Levelling Up Fund is spending £14 million to regenerate Filwood Broadway, Withywood, which was named as one of Britain’s worst ‘food deserts’ several years ago, and Lawrence Weston and Shirehampton.

Aldi said it has a long-term target of having more than 1,500 stores in the UK, and the managing director of its national real estate, Jonathan Neale, said Bristol would be a good place to have more.

“We want to make high-quality food accessible to all, but there are still some areas that either don’t have an Aldi or have the potential for more stores,” he said. “We’ve identified some key places where there is demand for more stores already, but now we are calling on the public to share their views. This will be used to help inform our property search over the coming years,” he added.

Aldi is asking for suggestions to be submitted by May 31, with the supermarket updating customers later this year with its new ‘wish list’. Store bosses said while there’s no guarantee it will be able to open a new store in a particular location, they will be reviewing submissions and adding the most popular locations to its target list.

A spokesperson said those wanting to put their town forward to be considered should contact the supermarket by emailing [email protected], clearly stating their postcode and why they believe their area needs a new Aldi store.