Discount supermarket chain Lidl has begun construction on its first-ever pub by the Dundonald store in County Down, just outside of Belfast. Expected to seat up to 60 and add eight permanent jobs, the Lidl pub is scheduled to open in summer 2026 and will have its own dedicated entrance separate from the store.
What's on the Lidl pub menu?
While details are still in the works, regional managing director for Lidl Northern Ireland, Gordon Cruikshanks, has said that the new 84 square metre pub will serve ‘selected lines’ from Lidl’s beer, spirit, and wine range, many of which are crafted in Northern Ireland. The new Lidl pub will also be ‘providing the local community with a place to connect and enjoy a quality hospitality experience.’
‘Dundonald is a thriving town which has experienced a significant population boost of more than 20% in recent years, placing extra demand on the need for a public house in the locality.’ Two bars in the local area have closed in recent years.
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Why is Lidl building a pub?
In a nutshell, Lidl has decided to open the pub to work around Northern Ireland’s strict licensing laws. Currently, local laws prohibit new licenses for supermarkets and corner shops unless another business’s licence has been surrendered. By building the pub, the premises, including an off-sales located next to the store, Lidl circumvents issues surrounding the area’s ‘surrender principle’, which caps the number of licensed businesses in a given area.
It’s a novel solution, one which made headlines last year after local off-license chain and rival Phillip Russel Limited claimed the chain was attempting to exploit an unlawful loophole. The objection was dismissed in January 2025 by High Court judge Mr Justice Colton, ruling that ‘the fact that the application is a novel one is not a reason for refusing it’.
The pub spin-off phenomenon
In terms of pub openings, the Newcastle-born bakery chain, Greggs, also made waves in October 2025 with a five-month pub residency within the city’s Fenwick department store. Prior to that, Greggs launched a Champagne bar in 2024, serving gourmet bakes and £400 bottles of fizz.
As for supermarkets, there have been a few over the years. A pop-up from Tesco back in May 2023 saw the supermarket serving food and drinks in Farringdon to honour the King’s Coronation. In 2019, Sainsbury’s also opened a pop-up in London for just one day, serving low and no alcohol options to its customers.
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Lidl is no stranger to spin-off concepts, having launched its own designer croissant handbag pop-up back in September 2024 (pictured above).