Eagerly anticipated opening of Aldi store in Whittlesey expected in June

A long-awaited new Aldi store in Whittlesey is expected to open in about six months.

Building work is under way on the new store in Eastrea Road, which is expected to create between 30 and 40 jobs.

Once completed, the store will have a sales area of 1,315 square metres plus a 127-space car park, including six accessible bays, seven parent-and-child spaces, and four electric vehicle charging points and bicycle storage.

An Aldi spokesperson said: “Construction for our new Whittlesey store is progressing well as we move towards opening in June this year.

"This will create up to 40 jobs for the community and enable local people to shop and save closer to home.”

Planning permission for the store was granted by Fenland District Council last April but Aldi bosses decided to delay construction until the local authority had given the green light to a 203 homes development nearby.

Earlier this month, the supermarket submitted to an application to install solar panels on the store’s roof.

Residents say they have been waiting for about a decade for a new convenience store in the town to provide more competition and choice with other retailers already trading in Whittlesey.

In a statement submitted with its planning application in 2021, an agent for Aldi said the size of the store had been kept to a minimum by not including a delicatessen, butcher or fishmonger counter which meant such products had to be sourced elsewhere by customers, ensuring no direct competition with specialist food shops or other local businesses.