Local shoppers took to social media to share their frustration on the closure news with many noting that the next nearest Aldi site was around 1.5miles away
Aldi is shutting one of its supermarket stores today, leaving shoppers gutted. The budget supermarket chain is pulling down the shutters on its Swanfield Place branch in Llanelli, Wales, on April 27.
The store opens at 8am in the morning, and will be closing tonight at 10pm. After this, it will not reopen. Local shoppers took to social media to share their frustration on the news with many noting that the next nearest Aldi site was around 1.5miles away on Trostre Road. One devastated shopper said on Facebook: “Another great shop leaving our town, Aldi are closing there shop in Llanelli in April.
“It’s such a shame that Llanelli council won’t try to keep this shop in town. It now means that if we want to go to Aldi in the future it means a trek to Trostre.”
Another unhappy customer replied to the post writing: “I love it there and I agree it’s always busy there!!! I don’t like the other Aldi it’s too big and the car park is awful!”
Another chimed in: “Been on the cards for a long time. Just been seeing out their lease. They were never going to keep two open in the town. ” Commenting on the next nearest store, one person replied: ”If you need a taxi it costs £6 down and £6 back.”
On the closure, Councillor Sarah Evans told InYourArea: ”This is a hell of a blow to those who do not have a car in my ward who face a far longer journey to travel to do their weekly shop. In particular it will hit the elderly and the most vulnerable the hardest. Llanelli welcomed Aldi with open arms as it brought cheaper prices and competition to the other major supermarket chains.”
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Councillor Shaun Greaney added: “People can ill-afford to lose this store. With rising energy prices, water bills, and a near 9% hike in council tax, this shop was a lifeline for those barely scraping by. I don’t know how people are going to manage now.”
On the closure, an Aldi Spokesperson said: “Our Swanfield Place Store will close in Spring 2025. Our valued customers will still be able to shop and save close to home at our Trostre Road Store, and our amazing colleagues will be relocated to local stores.”
It’s important to note that supermarkets and retailers close stores for a variety of reasons. Some close because the tenancy has come to an end on the site, or because the branch is not as profitable as others.
Aldi has over 1,000 stores but has long-term plans to expand this to 1,500. Last June, the supermarket revealed a wish list of locations where it wants to open new stores – including London, Surrey, Hampshire, Manchester and Liverpool. Each site will accommodate a 20,000 sq ft store with around 100 parking spaces. Ideally, the location will be near a main road with good visibility and access.
The supermarket says it is also on the lookout for sites for more Aldi Local stores inside the M25, which are around 5,000 sq ft in size.
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